Hanover Police as well as other police services across Canada have been fielding calls for service regarding fraud and fraud attempts while using Kijiji, Craigslist, Marketplace and other online private seller websites. To prevent yourself from becoming a victim of online fraud you can take the following precautions:
- Ask questions. If the seller is reluctant to answer, be wary
- Make sure what your buying is functioning properly (turn it on, test it, try it)
- Never buy things sight unseen
- Use cash at the time of sale rather then advance e-transfer
- Meet in person in a safe public location – bring a friend if you can
The prevalence of online frauds is increasing. Do not become a victim. Use good judgement anytime you are dealing with strangers. Remember if a deal is to good to be true its likely a scam