People across Canada say they have been scammed by Ottawa-based companies offering cash for jewelry. The Better Business Bureau of Ottawa is warning people never to mail their valuables to jewelry buyers, and an alleged victim said Tuesday she would file a complaint with police.

Barbara Mughal, of Alma, Que., is feeling ripped off, and a bit embarrassed. "First time in my life I do something like this, but they always catch a fish, right?" Mughal mailed a gold watch and some gold nuggets to sellyourdiamondsandgold.ca after seeing the company's commercial on television. That was in early October. When she didn't get anything in return, she called the company. "I said, 'Where's my cheque?' He said, 'Your cheque has been made, it's on the way.' Never received a penny. And then I tried to call them back. They just don't answer. They have an answering machine. They just don't answer," Mughal said. "We look forward to working with you, and paying you top dollar for all your unwanted jewelry," says a recorded message.

The companies have two almost identical websites: webuydiamondsandgold.ca and sellyourdiamondsandgold.ca Both companies use addresses at UPS stores in Ottawa, and the man listed as the president of one company, Manny Olszynko, lives in the city's west end. CBC News has talked to half a dozen people who sent their jewelry to sellyourdiamondsandgold.ca or webuydiamondsandgold.ca. Consumer websites such as ripoffreport.com are buzzing with warnings about the two companies, and the region's Better Business Bureau has received 55 complaints. The bureau's Diane Iadeluca said the stories she's hearing are similar. "In some cases they get a little money back, in some cases they don't get their money back, and they can never seem to get their jewelry back," Iadeluca said. Numerous calls and emails from CBC News to the companies went unanswered. Olszynko wasn't home Tuesday, nor was he at the other family businesses, a barbershop and an ice-cream stand.