Alaska Department Of Public Safety,State Troopers Public Information Office

Dispatch Text:

Over the past few weeks, the Alaska State Troopers and several local police departments across the state have received dozens of reports of foreign individuals scamming Alaskan residents with fake gold jewelry. The scammers were reported to be approaching people with jewelry and giving a variety of fake stories, such as they need money to return to their home country and offer gold jewelry at a low cash price. On September 23, 2023, Fairbanks Troopers received a tip that these scammers were attempting to scam people in a shopping center parking lot. A Trooper was in the area and watched these two suspicious individuals contact three people. The Trooper initiated a traffic stop and ultimately detained the two Romanian males for further questioning. During the investigation, Troopers determined that these two Romanian males knowingly sold fake jewelry to Alaskans as part of a larger criminal conspiracy involving several people. 21-year-old Valentin Miclescu was arrested for using a fake Romanian identification card to include using it for air travel. 21-year-old Ion Boceanu was arrested for Theft in the 2nd degree for using a debit card not in his name. Both were remanded to Fairbanks Correctional Center. While Boceanu and Miclescu have been arrested, it is believed that other people are actively scamming Alaskans as part of this criminal conspiracy. Always be wary of people attempting to sell jewelry or other valuable items at a steep discount. The Alaska State Troopers seek information from anyone scammed by these individuals who have not already spoken with law enforcement. Contact the Alaska State Troopers at (907) 451-5100 and reference case number AK23102128.