An Elkhorn jewelry store put the community on alert, after discovering a scam artist was at work. The jeweler got suspicious when two women in two days came in with the same ring and similar stories.
Monday at Kullberg Jewelers a woman walked in wanting to know how much a ring she got in exchange for giving a man gas money is worth. Cheryl Kullberg was working at the time.
"It looked like a nice ring. I didn't really do too much. We don't buy gold so I just looked at the ring and she went on her way," said Kullberg.
Tuesday a different woman came to the store with the same ring.
"She started to tell the very same story about a man approached her and asked for money for gas and offered her his jewelry," said Kullberg.
The man, who claimed to be from Dubai, gave her a gold chain and a ring.
"Took her ring and tested it with acid to see that in fact it wasn't actually even gold," said Kullberg.
Even though the ring was stamped with 18 karats.
One of the victims told police the man was in a white Lexus pulled over on the exit ramp on to Highway 12.
"She gave him $20. He asked for $100. She gave him two more," said Captain Alvin Brandl, Elkhorn Police. "This is the first time I've ever heard of anything like this, but unfortunately scams are becoming more common and they're getting pretty slick at the things that they try and do now."
Brandl said situations like this can be dangerous so it's best to call police instead of approaching a car.
"Anything that sounds too good to be true probably you shouldn't go with it," said Brandl.
Kullberg hopes she doesn't hear the same story again.
"I just want people to be careful," said Kullberg.
