A woman in Taiwan has lodged a police report after a gold ring she purchased online as a birthday gift for her husband allegedly began fading just five days after it was worn.
The woman, identified only by her surname Kim, said she paid NT$6,800 (approximately RM970) for a ring advertised as being made of 9999 pure gold after coming across a promotional offer on Facebook in early May.
The ring, purchased from what appeared to be a well-known jewellery chain in Taichung, arrived with official-looking packaging and a certificate bearing the company’s name and stamp, leading the couple to believe it was genuine.
However, shortly after her husband began wearing the ring, they noticed discolouration around the joint of the band.
“My husband wore it for less than five days and it had already started fading,” Kim said, adding that the colour change was especially noticeable when compared with her husband’s gold bracelet, which he has worn daily for years without any issues.
Concerned that the item might be counterfeit, the couple contacted the seller to raise the issue. They claim they were subsequently blocked, leaving them unable to seek clarification or a refund.
Kim said she initially hesitated to place the order but was persuaded after receiving repeated messages from the seller claiming the promotion was about to end.
When approached by local media, the jewellery company whose name appeared on the packaging denied selling gold products online and stated that all gold jewellery is only available through its physical stores.
The company suspects scammers may have impersonated its brand to deceive customers.
Further checks reportedly revealed inconsistencies. While the jewellery outlet has been operating since 2010, the Facebook account promoting the products was only created in January 2024. Kim also noted that some of the messages she received contained wording commonly used in mainland China.
Industry experts have pointed to the unusually low selling price as a major warning sign.
According to the chairman of the Taichung Gold and Jewellery Association, a gold ring weighing around 0.62 tael would normally cost well over NT$10,000 in raw material value alone, excluding workmanship charges.
“At NT$6,800, the price is clearly below market value and strongly suggests a possible scam,” he said.
However, experts cautioned that discolouration alone does not automatically prove a gold item is fake. Genuine gold can sometimes develop a reddish or copper-like appearance after prolonged exposure to air, moisture or sweat.
They advised consumers who suspect they have purchased counterfeit jewellery to have the item tested using professional gold verification equipment.
Kim has since filed a fraud complaint with police and hopes investigators will identify those responsible for allegedly using the jewellery company’s name to carry out the scam.
The case has sparked renewed warnings for consumers to exercise caution when purchasing precious metals through social media platforms, especially when deals appear too good to be true.
