Gold prospector and entrepreneur Tyler Mahoney has spoken out against a misleading Yahoo News headline that falsely implies she claimed to have found a 20-ounce gold nugget. In a strongly worded response posted to her social media, Mahoney clarified that the nugget was found by a fellow prospector from Meekatharra—not by her.
“This happens far too often,” Mahoney said in a video shared online. “I clearly said in that video that a prospector from Meekatharra found the nugget. I never claimed it was mine.”
Mahoney, who has built a respected gold dealing business and buys millions of dollars worth of gold annually, says the confusion stems from both irresponsible journalism and the rise of fake accounts posing as her online.
“These scam accounts will share my videos and write fake captions in the third person, saying I found gold I never claimed,” she explained. “Please, use a bit of media literacy. If the page posting has three followers and doesn’t link to my verified page—it’s probably not me.”
Mahoney also addressed accusations circulating in online prospecting communities claiming she falsely takes credit for large nugget finds.
“I’ve never done that in my life. Anyone who has ever dealt with me or my family knows—we operate on honesty, integrity, and transparency,” she said. “At The Prospector’s Club, we always disclose whether gold has been found by me, my parents, or another prospector. We just don’t reveal their exact locations or names unless they’ve agreed to that.”
Due to her growing business, Mahoney admitted she doesn’t get out in the bush as much as she used to, with her parents and team doing more of the active prospecting. “I’m in the office 24/7 now, running the business. But when I do post a find, I always state who found it—whether it was Mom, Dad, or our team.”
What frustrates her most is the damage these false narratives can do. “In the gold game, trust is everything. Once your name is tarnished, you’re done. And these Facebook comments, these fake stories—they threaten my business, my name, and what I’ve built over the last decade.”
Despite receiving hate comments and even threats daily for years, Mahoney says she’s learned to brush off the noise. “What I won’t brush off is someone questioning my integrity. That’s where I draw the line.”
In closing, Mahoney thanked the supporters who have defended her online and reminded people to fact-check before jumping to conclusions.
“My word is my word. That’s what my parents taught me—and in this industry, that’s everything.”
