How dodgy salesmen are destroying gold mining stocks

There’s your old school, Essex used-car salesman who, with a barrage of banter, smiles and gold chains, somehow persuades you to buy that Ford Cortina you know you’ve always wanted. There’s your Middle Eastern market trader who, as you stroll through the souk, seduces you with flattery and puppy-dog eyes. Half an hour after meeting him you find yourself leaving his stall with a belly full of tea and an overpriced carpet, which you’re not quite sure how you’re going to get home. There’s your Nigerian spam-scammer who, with a combination of persistence and poor spelling, somehow convinces you that you are just the person to look after that $19 million he has just inherited. All he needs is your bank details. These are some of the greatest salesmen the world has ever produced. But there is one against whom they all pale in comparison. The Vancouver stock promoter.