Fayetteville Cops Warn of Diamond Scam

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (MyFOX ATLANTA) - Police issued a warning to shoppers Thursday to beware of a con man with what he claims to be a bag of expensive diamonds. Fayetteville police said one woman paid the man $6,000.

Police said buying a diamond in a parking lot from a complete stranger isn't a good idea.

Investigators said one woman paid $6,000 for a piece of glass. Investigators said the woman who bought the diamonds was tricked into it at the Pavilion Shopping Center parking lot in Fayetteville.

Police said the con man found a woman in the parking lot and told her he found a bag of diamonds. The man said he was going into the Target store nearby to show them to the jewelry department and determine if they were real.

Police said the man left the store after a few minutes and showed the woman the bag of diamonds again, telling the woman the diamonds were indeed real.

The man told the woman he would sell her the diamonds for a fraction of the value, which he said was about $10,000.

Investigators said the woman drove to a nearby bank and withdrew $6,000 from her bank account to buy the diamonds.

Police said the diamonds were fakes and Target employees hadn't been aware of the scam until police informed the store.

Both police and Target officials said they didn't believe the man was employed at Target.

The victim told police there was also a female con artist who joined in the scam at some point.

Police said there is surveillance video that they were hoping to get that may show one of the suspects.

Investigators said this scam was a version of the old pigeon drop scheme where a con man claims to have found something of value and is willing to share it.