Overview
Gold fraud is a persistent and costly problem across Africa’s major gold-producing and gold-trading regions. These scams range from fake export promises and falsified documentation to large-scale smuggling operations and cross-border laundering. Victims are often foreign buyers, investors, or traders lured by offers of high-grade gold at discounted prices, only to discover they’ve been defrauded.
Our consultancy coordinates multi-jurisdictional legal action through a vetted network of lawyers in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mali, and Côte d’Ivoire, ensuring cases are pursued locally while maintaining a centralised strategy for asset recovery.
Common Gold Scam Scenarios in Africa
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Fake Export Licences & Documents
Fraudsters produce convincing but forged gold export licences, customs documents, and assay certificates. -
Non-Delivery After Payment
Buyers pay for gold that never ships — or receive only small, low-grade samples to “prove” authenticity. -
Partial Supply Tactics
Promising bulk deliveries (e.g., 10–20 kg/month) but sending nothing or at most 1 kg, which may also fail to arrive. -
Licence Suspension Excuses
Claiming the government suspended an exporter’s licence and funds are needed to reinstate it. -
Regulatory “Changes” as a Delay Tool
Fraudsters cite sudden “changes in gold laws” or “new export restrictions” to justify delays and request additional payments.
Country-Specific Patterns
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Kenya & Uganda: Often tied to “Congolese gold” stories, with Nairobi or Kampala as the deal hub. Fake gold storage, DRC-origin paperwork, and bribery claims are common.
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South Africa: Syndicates connected to illegal mining (“zama-zamas”) move gold through black markets and offer bulk sales with no traceable source.
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Zimbabwe: High-value smuggling networks move gold to Dubai, often using shell companies and fictitious invoices.
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Mali & Côte d’Ivoire: Known for large volumes of undeclared gold exports. Deals may be framed as “direct from miners” but bypass formal channels entirely.
Delay Tactics Used by Fraudsters
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Repeated rescheduling of shipment dates.
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Demanding new fees for “clearance,” “insurance,” or “security.”
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Staging partial payments/refunds to maintain victim trust.
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Redirecting blame to government agencies or banking delays.
Our Litigation & Recovery Strategy
We offer a coordinated, multi-country approach that covers:
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Case Assessment – Reviewing contracts, communications, and payment records.
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Evidence Preservation – Securing digital and physical evidence admissible in court.
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Local Filings – Lodging civil and criminal complaints in the jurisdiction where the scam originated.
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Interim Relief – Freezing assets, bank accounts, or gold stock pending final judgment.
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Cross-Border Coordination – Managing cases across multiple jurisdictions to stop dissipation of funds.
Our African legal network ensures that local filings are done quickly and in compliance with each country’s laws, while our central oversight maintains consistency in strategy and reporting.
Fee Categories (amounts provided upon consultation)
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Case Review & Initial Advisory
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Filing & Court Representation
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Asset Freezing Applications
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Cross-Border Coordination
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Evidence Gathering & Forensic Verification
Why Work With Us
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Proven track record in high-value gold fraud litigation.
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Established legal network in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mali, and Côte d’Ivoire.
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Asset recovery focus — not just obtaining judgments but enforcing them.
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Confidential handling of sensitive commercial disputes.
Contact Amanda Clinton
If you are a victim of gold fraud involving these jurisdictions, contact us immediately to assess your case and protect your position.
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Email: amanda@clintonconsultancy.com (cc: info@clintonconsultancy.com)
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WhatsApp/Call: +233 27 252 2695
