CollectionsMar 13, 2026
A Trio of Jewels from the 3 Gem Award Nominees for Jewelry DesignOur Pieces of the Week honor the 2026 nominees for the Gem Award for Jewelry Design, Silvia Furmanovich, Cece Fein-Hughes, and Catherine Sarr.
CrimeJun 26, 2017
Socially Engineered Shipping Scheme Hits Jewelry Industry
The perpetrators are mining information from company websites and Facebook in order to appear legitimate when placing fraudulent orders for high-end items, the JSA warns.
New York--A group of perpetrators are calling jewelry companies and faking their identities in order to trick them into shipping out high-end items, the Jewelers Security Alliance said in a special alert issued late last week.
JSA President John J. Kennedy said that while the exact number of perpetrators is unknown, the shipping scam is the work one of one fairly large singular group believed to be operating in the United States and targeting jewelry firms in the Northeast and Southeast.
He said that both suppliers and retailers are potential victims, with the perpetrators using what’s called social engineering to try to fool their victims into shipping out high-end merchandise.
Social engineering is defined as the use of deception to manipulate individuals to divulge confidential or personal information that may be used for fraudulent purposes. In May of this year, the FBI released a public service announcement about social engineering being used in business email compromise attacks, which cost businesses globally more than $5 billion between October 2013 and December 2016.
But, electronic contact is not part of the current scam that’s impacting jewelers and suppliers, Kennedy said.
Instead, the perpetrators are using the phone, calling suppliers pretending to be jewelers, or targeting multi-store retail chains posing as a store manager or employee of another branch.
They will contact the retail store or supplier with a great deal of knowledge about the company, like names of employees, shipping procedures, inventory in stock and SKU numbers.
While some of the information is obtained via phone calls made prior, much is mined from the internet, including the store’s website and the social media profiles of the business owner and his or her employees.
Then the perpetrator will ask for the supplier or store to ship certain high-end items--Kennedy said mainly large diamonds and high-value watches--overnight, with the goal of diverting the package en route by changing the shipping address to an address of their choice.
Sometimes when the fraud is being committed at a multi-store retail chain, the perpetrator will give an address that he or she claims belongs to a customer or salesperson and asks for the item to be sent there instead of the store.
Kennedy said while he has seen this type of fraud before, he has never seen it happening at the level it is right now.
There have been about a dozen attempts in the last two weeks
alone. And those are just the ones that were reported to the JSA, he said, though he noted that only a few of the reported attempts have been successful.
“We are putting this out now because we see it as rampant,” Kennedy said of the alert the JSA issued Friday.
He said that the amount of information now available on the internet is a “very large” contributor to criminals’ ability to socially engineer scams today.
And while Kennedy acknowledges that businesses need to be present on the internet to market themselves today, he says jewelers should carefully consider each piece of information that goes online.
“I feel jewelers are putting far too much information out online,” he said. “The more you put out there, the more you are at risk.”
The JSA has five additional recommendations for jewelers and suppliers to help them avoid becoming a victim of this shipping scheme.
1) Employees need to confirm to whom they are speaking. If someone is on the line whom the employee does not know, he or she should excuse themselves immediately and say they will have to call them back. Employees also can call back after the order or request is made to confirm that it’s legitimate.
Either way, the employee should not use the number given to them by the caller and, instead, call the actual phone number of the business, obtained via Google or elsewhere.
2) Be wary of calls that come from blocked or “unknown” numbers.
3) Alert employees that they should not be fooled into giving out inappropriate information to callers asking questions about personnel or procedures. The perpetrators want to find out as much as they can about a supplier or retailer in order to sound legitimate.
4) Strictly limit the procedures that allow for a change of address on shipments. For example, some firms have only one person who can authorize a change of address or have told the shipping company that all packages on which an address change is attempted should be returned to them.
5) Kennedy also recommended Monday that jewelers or suppliers never give out tracking numbers for packages they are shipping.
“We are putting this out now because we see it as rampant,” Kennedy said of the alert the JSA issued Friday.
He said that the amount of information now available on the internet is a “very large” contributor to criminals’ ability to socially engineer scams today.
And while Kennedy acknowledges that businesses need to be present on the internet to market themselves today, he says jewelers should carefully consider each piece of information that goes online.
“I feel jewelers are putting far too much information out online,” he said. “The more you put out there, the more you are at risk.”
The JSA has five additional recommendations for jewelers and suppliers to help them avoid becoming a victim of this shipping scheme.
1) Employees need to confirm to whom they are speaking. If someone is on the line whom the employee does not know, he or she should excuse themselves immediately and say they will have to call them back. Employees also can call back after the order or request is made to confirm that it’s legitimate.
Either way, the employee should not use the number given to them by the caller and, instead, call the actual phone number of the business, obtained via Google or elsewhere.
2) Be wary of calls that come from blocked or “unknown” numbers.
3) Alert employees that they should not be fooled into giving out inappropriate information to callers asking questions about personnel or procedures. The perpetrators want to find out as much as they can about a supplier or retailer in order to sound legitimate.
4) Strictly limit the procedures that allow for a change of address on shipments. For example, some firms have only one person who can authorize a change of address or have told the shipping company that all packages on which an address change is attempted should be returned to them.
5) Kennedy also recommended Monday that jewelers or suppliers never give out tracking numbers for packages they are shipping.
More on Crime
The Latest
WatchesMar 13, 2026
Citizen, Vera Wang to Launch Watch CollectionThe 24-piece watch collection is set to debut in spring 2027.
SourcingMar 13, 2026
Andrea Pooler Joins Third-Generation Diamond Company as COO Pooler, who has more than 25 years’ experience in jewelry, is now chief operating officer of Modani Jewels, Soham Diamonds, and SNJ Creations.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
MajorsMar 13, 2026
24 Karat Club of New York’s Banquet to Return to Waldorf AstoriaThe reopening of the Waldorf Astoria means a homecoming for the industry group’s annual event, which will take place Saturday.
Weekly QuizMar 12, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsMar 12, 2026
Jessica McCormack Sends Gold, Gemstones Into ‘Orbit’McCormack looked to the 19th century’s “golden age” of astronomy when designing her new celestial-themed collection.
Events & AwardsMar 12, 2026
Johnny Nelson Wins David Yurman Gem Awards GrantNelson will be honored as the inaugural grant winner at the Gem Awards gala on Friday.
Brought to you by
DCA Enters a New Chapter in Jewelry EducationWith refreshed branding, a new website, updated courses, and a pathway for growth, DCA is dedicated to supporting retail staff development.
TechnologyMar 12, 2026
Caratwise Launches, Names Former Signet Exec CEO The new smart design software allows jewelers to configure, price, and confirm a custom engagement ring in real time for in-store customers.
SourcingMar 12, 2026
Grandview Klein Opens New Factory in South Africa The 10,000-square-foot diamond manufacturing facility officially opened in late February and employs 50 people.
Events & AwardsMar 12, 2026
MJSA ‘Future of Jewelry Making’ Scholarship Applications OpenThe MJSA Education Foundation’s scholarships support students pursuing jewelry careers.
AuctionsMar 11, 2026
‘Spectacular’ 26-Carat Diamond Going Up for Auction in London The largest white diamond to come to market in the U.K. in more than a decade, the VVS1, I-color stone is expected to top $1 million.
TechnologyMar 11, 2026
Cast Jewelry’s Rachel Skelly on Coming Back Online Only Skelly shares her plans for reimagining the fine jewelry retailer she re-acquired after it faltered last year.
CollectionsMar 11, 2026
Pyrrha Highlights ‘The Space Between’ In New CollectionThe collection takes inspiration from the emotional space between people, moments, and experiences.
IndependentsMar 11, 2026
From the Jazz Age to the Information Age: London Jewelers Turns 100In 2026, the jewelry retailer is celebrating a milestone only a small percentage of family-owned businesses survive to see.
IndependentsMar 11, 2026
Virginia Jewelers Raise Nearly $30K for Children’s HospitalThe group of jewelers held a jewelry raffle in support of the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.
FinancialsMar 10, 2026
Signet Jewelers’ Q4 Sales Fall Flat The jewelry giant released preliminary results for the fourth quarter and full year on Monday, with final results slated to come next week.
MajorsMar 10, 2026
Saks Global to Close 15 More StoresThe retailer also gave an update on its vendor partnerships.
TrendsMar 10, 2026
Messika Names Julianne Moore as AmbassadorThe award-winning actress is the “epitome of modern allure,” the brand said.
CollectionsMar 10, 2026
Gemstones ‘Bloom’ in Sorellina’s New CollectionThe “Bloom” collection draws from the flower power movement of the 1960s and ‘70s with inlay pendants offered in eight colorways.
Events & AwardsMar 10, 2026
Diamond-Studded Painting Shines at RJO Foundation AuctionThe unique piece was one of the custom works offered at the foundation's recent silent art auction, which garnered nearly $15,000 in total.
TrendsMar 09, 2026
Jake Gyllenhaal Is Bulgari’s Latest AmbassadorBulgari named Gyllenhaal as its brand ambassador for his embodiment of artistic depth, intellectual curiosity, and warmth.
Events & AwardsMar 09, 2026
TJS Announces 2026 Scholarship WinnersAwards were given to four students, one apprentice, and an emerging jeweler.
AuctionsMar 09, 2026
Joanna Carson’s Jewels Lead White-Glove SaleThe top jewelry lot of the late model’s estate sale, hosted by John Moran Auctioneers, was an Oscar Heyman & Brothers for Cartier necklace.
GradingMar 06, 2026
Tom Moses Leaving GIA After Nearly 50 YearsMoses, who started at GIA’s Santa Monica lab in 1976, will leave the Gemological Institute of America in May.
Lab-GrownMar 06, 2026
Charles & Colvard Files for Bankruptcy, Citing Price PressuresIncreased competition, falling lab-grown diamond and moissanite prices, and the rising cost of gold took a toll on the moissanite maker.
CollectionsMar 06, 2026
Zome’s ‘Solara’ Earrings Embody Celestial BeautyThe earrings, our Piece of the Week, feature pink tourmalines as planets orbiting around an aquamarine center set in 18-karat rose gold.
