Solwezi Man Loses K60,000 in Fake Gold Scam in Ndola
A 45-year-old man from Solwezi has reportedly lost K60,000 after travelling to Ndola to purchase a Honda Fit advertised on Facebook, only to be allegedly conned into buying stones presented to him as gold.
The victim, identified as Robin Musumali, a driver at Solwezi Municipal Council, travelled to Ndola after seeing an online advertisement for several vehicles. He reportedly became interested in a blue Honda Fit bearing registration number ACG 6936 ZM.
According to police, Musumali contacted the individuals who advertised the vehicle before travelling to Ndola. He was allegedly directed to Hillcrest Township, where he met the purported sellers and inspected the Honda Fit while waiting for a mechanic to assess the vehicle.
Police said the situation took an unexpected turn when another man approached Musumali and presented what he claimed were gold minerals for sale.
The alleged gold seller reportedly showed Musumali the material and offered it to him as an investment opportunity.
Police said the person selling the Honda Fit also encouraged Musumali to purchase the purported gold, allegedly telling him that he could resell it at a profit and later return to buy the vehicle.
Convinced by the offer, Musumali reportedly handed over K60,000 in cash.
However, instead of gold, he allegedly received ordinary stones.
Police said the two men subsequently disappeared, leaving Musumali stranded near Hillcrest Bus Stop. Attempts to contact them reportedly failed after their mobile phones were switched off.
Musumali later reported the matter at Ndola Central Police Station at around 17:50 hours.
Copperbelt Province Police Commanding Officer Rae Hamoonga said a docket had been opened and officers searched Hillcrest and surrounding areas for the suspected scammers, but they had not been located.
The matter has been recorded as obtaining money by false pretences, while investigations remain ongoing.
Police have appealed to anyone with information that could assist in identifying or locating the suspects to report to the nearest police station.
Hamoonga has also urged members of the public to exercise caution when responding to vehicle, gold and other high-value commodity advertisements posted on social media.
The case highlights the risks of making large cash payments based solely on online advertisements or verbal claims, particularly where the authenticity of vehicles, minerals or other valuable goods has not been independently verified.
