Has anyone ever heard of the gem scams in Jaipur? I read a lot about it and was wondering if anyone has ever encountered a similar experience?
I have a friend who has been in a similar situation; however, she was smart enough to detect that it was a scam and did not buy any gems. So many people are a victim of this every day though, and not many people are aware that it is a scam unfortunately.
I always buy my gems from a trusted seller in Jaipur. I have been buying stuff from him for many years and he will never scam me, because I am his old customer. Besides, established sellers who have a good reputation will not be involved in scams.
Interesting. I hadn't thought of buying gems but this is very good advice. Question is; how do you know whether the seller is reputable or not? Surely there is a way to tell.
Here is a tip. The cost of jewelry, gems, gold has a price set by the world market. It is not cheaper to buy in some exotic location. If someone is trying to sell you these things at a discount, they are fake. Even if they show you something that is real, they are trying to cheat you, and that is not what you will get. Be very careful when you purchase these sorts of items. And, if you can, look them up online. If they are legit, they will have a license number, or a listing in a jeweler association.
I always stay weeeeellll away from buying gems etc. precisely because I have no idea what I'm doing. I wouldn't be able to tell a real gem from a fake if it would be save my life. I always decide to spend my money on other things, instead. Sometimes this was silk bedcovers or scarves, even though I confess the first time I went I didn't really have the experience to tell whether the silk was fake, either, and I didn't see how the old 'see how the scraping burns' tip that each guidebook seems to give would be practical in the shop. Nevertheless, I always ended up happy because I just made sure I only bought things that I loved. If I *were* going to buy gems, I would try to get a recommendation from a friend or a guidebook to find a seller that I knew was trustworthy. Jnorth88's advice sounds sensible. Otherwise, ask people you know, or people in this forum.
