Sierra Leone produces real gold and real diamonds, and that is exactly why it attracts fraud: a fake licence, a fake vault receipt and a fake "government office" are hard to check from Dubai or Delhi. Multipro Business Facilitators is a gold exporter in Freetown working with NMA licence. We see the scams from the inside, and we review any offer sent to us free of charge. These are the rules we ask every buyer to follow, whether they buy through us or not.
Ten rules for buying gold safely in Sierra Leone
- Insist on a PMT/GGDO assay. The only assay that matters for export is Precious Minerals Trading (PMT/GGDO) in Freetown. Field tests and seller certificates are not a substitute.
- Verify the seller's licence with the National Minerals Agency. A photograph of a licence proves nothing. The NMA can confirm whether it exists and is current.
- Verify the exporter. Visit the office or video-call it. Check the company registration. Ask the PMT/GGDO whether they know the company.
- Verify every document with its issuer, using contact details you found yourself, not those printed on the document.
- Put the payment terms in writing and tie them to the PMT/GGDO certificate and export documents, never to a promise.
- Pay no advance fees. No "release fee", "storage fee", "insurance deposit", "tax clearance" or "anti-terrorism certificate" paid up front to anyone other than the exporter you have contracted with, and only as written into the contract.
- Price on fine weight at spot. Gold far below the spot value of its fine content does not exist. A 20 to 50 percent discount is the scam itself.
- Never pay a private individual's account for government fees, royalties or taxes.
- Slow down. Urgency, a dying relative, a military coup, a closing window: these are scripts. Real gold is still gold next week.
- Keep everything in writing and keep one company accountable from assay to delivery.
The common gold scams, and how to spot them
| Scam | How it runs | Tell-tale sign |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap gold | Refined gold offered at a large discount to spot, "because we need cash". | Price far below fine-weight spot value |
| Advance fee | Gold "ready to ship" but a fee is needed first: storage, release, insurance, tax, certificate. | Every step costs you money before you see gold |
| Fake SKR | A safe-keeping receipt from a "security company" or "vault" holding gold on your behalf. | Issuer cannot be independently verified; receipt arrives by email |
| Fake government office | Emails and websites imitating the PMT/GGDO, NMA or a ministry, issuing "certificates" and collecting "fees". | Payments to private accounts; domains that are not official |
| Gold already abroad | Gold said to be in a vault in Ghana, Dubai or Europe, needing only "transfer charges". | Gold is never where you can test it |
| Dusted and coated metal | Lead, copper or brass bars plated or dusted with gold that pass a scratch test. | Seller refuses fire assay or XRF on a drilled sample |
| The free sample | A small genuine sample, then a large fake delivery or a large advance for a lot that never arrives. | Sample is genuine; the main lot is "waiting for your fee" |
How Multipro removes the risk
- PMT/GGDO assay on every lot; payment terms agreed in writing.
- Sellers checked against the NMA register; lots with undocumented origin declined.
- Our own vault with safe-keeping receipts you confirm with us directly.
- One company accountable from Freetown to your refinery, with insurance for the full value.
- An office you can visit at 72 Jumu Avenue, Freetown, and a branch in Accra.
Ready to buy properly? See buy gold in Sierra Leone and the gold export licence guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is buying gold in Sierra Leone safe?
Through a verifiable licensed exporter, with a PMT/GGDO assay on the lot and payment terms agreed in writing, yes. Through a stranger who contacted you online with cheap gold, no.
How do I verify a gold seller in Sierra Leone?
Ask for the licence and check it with the National Minerals Agency, not from a photocopy. Visit or video-call the office. Check any receipt or certificate with the issuer through contact details you found independently. Ask the exporter to review the offer.
What is a safe-keeping receipt (SKR) and can it be faked?
A receipt issued by a vault confirming it holds a described lot for a named depositor. Forged SKRs are common in gold scams. Verify any SKR with the vault that issued it. Multipro confirms its own receipts directly.
What if I have already paid?
Stop paying. Collect every document, message and payment record, report it to your bank and the police in your country, and send us the file. We will tell you what is genuine and what is not.
Why do scammers use Sierra Leone?
Because the country produces real gold and diamonds and is far from most buyers, so a fake office, licence or certificate is hard to check from abroad. Checking is the cure.
Gold and diamond guides
Buy gold in Sierra Leone Gold exporter in Sierra Leone Diamonds from Sierra Leone Sierra Leone gold price Gold export licence guide
Related services
Gold purchase service Gold export and shipping Vault storage and SKR Collateral management Due diligence