As gold prices continue to soar, attracting global attention with every fluctuation, some unscrupulous individuals have begun exploiting the situation by targeting gold jewelry.

In a recent incident, an elderly woman surnamed Wang from Linhai, Zhejiang, fell victim to a scam at a local market. A street vendor, surnamed Yu, offered to "reshape and clean" her gold bracelet for free. Trusting the offer, Ms. Wang handed over her bracelet.

After reshaping the bracelet, Yu heated it and dipped it into "aqua regia"—a chemical solution capable of dissolving gold—claiming it was part of the cleaning process. When Ms. Wang retrieved her bracelet, she noticed it had become softer and lighter. Suspecting foul play, she immediately reported the incident to the police.

Upon weighing the bracelet, officers found it weighed only 22.67 grams—5.33 grams less than the original weight listed on the 2013 purchase receipt. Yu was promptly detained for questioning and later confessed to stealing gold using aqua regia. He is currently under criminal detention as the investigation continues.

Authorities have issued a warning: when processing precious metals, always visit reputable jewelry stores and avoid street vendors. Additionally, verify the weight before and after any service.

Netizens remarked, "As the saying goes, free services often come at the highest cost."