POLICE are warning residents of a recent increase in online shopping fraud, with 19 reports made to Action Fraud last week by local residents.
The most common platform featured within the complaints was Facebook Marketplace.
What is a scam on Facebook Marketplace?
Scams can happen to a buyer or seller. Scams come in different forms, so it’s important to know what to look for.
1. Buyer scam
When someone tries to obtain items from a seller without paying.
Recent reports have featured purported buyers using fake banking apps and spoofed email messages from banks, to trick the seller into believing that funds have been sent.
The seller then sends the item only to find later that they haven’t received any payment.
2. Seller scam
Advertising items for sale which are never sent to the buyer.
Seller scams often lure buyers into conducting transactions outside of the trading platform and / or to transfer funds as a “deposit”, in advance of the item being sent.
The seller profile is then removed, and the buyer is left out-of-pocket.
Police have provided some hints and tips to help keep residents safe when shopping online.
- Double check any deals that seem too good to be true
- Review the sellers profile to check out their ratings and reviews
- Never send items before you have received verified payment
- Always check that the money has arrived and is cleared in your account and that it is not still…
