As the Chinese New Year approaches, the peak season for gold consumption has arrived. If you've recently been involved in offline gold transactions, you need to be particularly cautious of some new scams.
On January 12th, the Litong District Branch of the Wuzhong Public Security Bureau in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region received a tip-off: a Mr. Ding (pseudonym) had allegedly mailed gold concealed inside a tea box in Litong District, Wuzhong City, on January 10th, suggesting he had fallen victim to fraud.
Why would someone mail gold hidden in a tea box? The scam involves a new tactic where "investments" demand gold instead of cash. The story dates back to December 2025. Mr. Ding, who lives alone, became involved in an online romance that quickly progressed to the point where he would even report his meals to the other person via Wechat, despite having never met them.
Unbeknownst to him, he had already been marked as prey in the scammer's eyes. Initially, it followed the old playbook of telecom fraud: this romantic interest first had Mr. Ding download a fake investment platform app, impersonating a well-known securities company, and he tasted small profits from a few initial investments. Then, the new twist emerged: under the pretext of "account funding verification," they guided Mr. Ding to purchase gold offline and mail it to a specified location to complete the "top-up" of his investment funds.
Even more absurd was the reasoning used to persuade Mr. Ding: the concern that authorities might discover and block his path to riches, thus ruling out "online transfers." On January 10th, Mr. Ding purchased approximately 75 grams of gold worth about 76,700 yuan from a physical jewelry store, hid it in a tea box, and handed it to a courier company for shipment to Guangdong Province. After receiving the tip on the 12th, police from the Litong District Branch immediately activated a coordination mechanism, confirmed the details with the courier company, and successfully intercepted the package in Guangdong.
However, Mr. Ding remained convinced he wasn't being scammed. Only after persistent persuasion from the police did he come to his senses and reveal that he had also placed an order on another online platform for gold worth approximately 86,800 yuan, also destined for Guangdong. Learning this order was scheduled to ship on January 12th, the police urgently contacted the platform's customer service, explained the fraud risk, and successfully froze the order, securing a full refund. Through the efforts of the police, Mr. Ding recovered total losses of approximately 163,500 yuan.
Gold, prized for being portable and a store of value, has become a new target for criminals. "This method of concealing gold within a carrier and mailing it to a specified location is a new type of fraud combining 'offline cash-out' with online deception," said Yu Geping, an anti-fraud officer from the Litong District Branch. This emerging crime uses gold, which has gained popularity in recent years, as the target asset, involving multiple parties like the public, gold shops, and courier companies, and is often accompanied by other crimes such as money laundering and theft.
Why has gold become a target for criminals? Investigating officers explained that precious metals like gold, characterized by their portability and value retention, are easier to move outside regulatory oversight compared to online funds, making them less susceptible to freezing and tracking, thus becoming the preferred choice for "offline cashing" by many fraudsters.
Why is mailing the gold necessary? The purpose of the mailing step is to utilize perfect "tools"—unwitting individuals—to layer obscurity over the gold's circulation, achieving various illegal objectives like money laundering. Unknowing couriers and gold shop staff become these "tools." Typically, after the victim purchases the gold and mails it, the scammers dispatch disguised "runners" to collect the package from the courier. Multiple runners work in relay, with the final leg taking the gold to a recycling shop to sell it for cash, which is then delivered to the scammers, allowing the illicit funds to circulate under the guise of legitimate investment or business income.
Furthermore, some scammers instruct runners to exchange the gold for cryptocurrency with coin dealers, depositing it into designated accounts. Subsequently, using blockchain technology, they facilitate the global circulation of these virtual currencies. Once successful, the scammers achieve their goal of stealing the gold and laundering the money. "To sever the tracking chain, scammers often employ runners who don't know each other, operating in segmented tasks entirely under their control," Yu Geping added. "This makes it extremely difficult for police to trace the flow of gold and cash if the package isn't intercepted before the runners collect it. There are even instances of runners 'cheating the cheaters'—embezzling the gold or cash themselves."
Stay vigilant and avoid becoming a "tool" for criminals. It has been learned that in 2025 alone, police across the Ningxia region recovered 5,968.1 grams of fraud-related gold and intercepted 220,000 suspicious packages. Reviewing cases reveals this isn't isolated to Ningxia; similar incidents involving gold hidden in bizarre carriers have occurred nationwide. For instance, Cixi police in Zhejiang intercepted a stuffed toy containing three gold bracelets; Macheng police in Hubei intercepted a jar of chili sauce hiding a 110-gram gold bar; and Nanjing police in Jiangsu intercepted a rice cooker concealing a 180-gram gold bar.
"This new fraud model is not widely understood, leading to a lack of awareness," police warned. During the Spring Festival travel rush and the holiday period, with frequent logistics, bustling traffic, and booming gold shop business, it's crucial to keep your eyes open and not give scammers an opportunity. First and foremost, legitimate investment and financial management would never require mailing gold. "With online transfers available, why opt for the troublesome method of offline gold shipment and ask you to conceal the traces? These actions defy logic," said Ma Jihong, a Section Chief from the News and Publicity Department of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Public Security Department. Any request to purchase gold for offline transfer under reasons like "account upgrade" or "verification to unfreeze funds" is fraudulent.
Additionally, police offered three safety recommendations for professionals in related sectors: First, when collecting or delivering packages, inquire about valuable items and conduct proper checks. Second, when selling or purchasing gold, ask about the purpose and origin of the gold, and keep records. Third, proactively warn customers about potential fraud risks; remain alert towards individuals with suspicious attire or behavior, and report any anomalies to the police promptly.
Currently, during the Spring Festival travel period, the flows of people, goods, and capital are密集 (dense). As the holidays approach, lawbreakers are eager to "make a big score." It is essential to keep your guard up against fraud. Do not, under the guise of expressing affection, upholding loyalty, or chasing small gains, assist others in concealing and shipping gold. Doing so risks becoming a criminal "tool," potentially leading to both financial loss and legal consequences.
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