The Consumer Council of Fiji has received a concerning complaint regarding the sale of gold jewelry through misrepresentation.

The complainant, who resides in the United States, paid $2835 for a 22ct Gold set to a jeweller in Nausori.

However, upon returning to the US and seeking an appraisal from a jeweller, she discovered that the gold set was not 22ct gold as represented by the seller.

Upon testing, the results revealed that the earrings were 12.27ct, and the necklace was 13.23ct.

Council Chief Executive, Seema Shandil says this significant discrepancy raises serious concerns about the integrity and ethical practices within the jewellery industry.

Shandil says the Council condemns such misleading practices, emphasizing that misrepresenting the quality of gold is not only unethical but also illegal.

In light of this incident, the Council is urging consumers to exercise caution when purchasing gold jewellery.

Shandil is advising consumers to have their gold tested locally if they have any doubts about its authenticity.

Additionally, she is calling on all jewellers to provide guarantee documents and show consumers the engravings on the gold jewellery before completing a purchase.