Police advise shoppers to use regulated websites. PHOTO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM
A Masterton woman has been arrested and charged after an investigation into her Facebook Marketplace offending.
Wairarapa Police prevention manager Ian Osland said the 32-year-old had been bailed to appear at Masterton District Court on Thursday next week for this and other shoplifting offences.
“Police received a report from a member of the public who purchased a multitool on marketplace for $95 but never received the item,” the senior sergeant said.
“As part of the investigation, police reviewed a number of bank statements relating to the offender and found she had sold the multitool 47 times over a 13-day period.”
Police were particularly concerned about the number of people who fell victim to the scam but did not report it.
“Many people choose not to out of embarrassment at being deceived, however, they should be assured that police will take any report seriously,” Osland said.
“This is not an uncommon occurrence, and is not limited to multitools but cell phones, vehicles, electronics and other goods sold on Facebook Marketplace.”
Instead, police advised people to buy and sell off regulated websites, such as Trade Me, and urged people not to hand over goods until the money was in their account.
“Verify the funds are cleared if you can with your bank,” he said.
“If you are buying items, avoid doing so on social media and purchase them from legitimate stores or companies.
“If you decide to purchase off social media, we encourage you to take basic precautions to protect yourself.”
These precautions included insisting on meeting to conduct transactions and examining the item beforehand.
“Meet in a public place and take a friend,” Osland said.
“Do not go into someone’s house or allow them into yours, do not deposit money into another person’s account.
”You can tap on a person’s profile on the product listing page to see if you have any friends in common, their marketplace activity, and any ratings they may have received.”
He said that people should ensure friends and family, especially those vulnerable, understood what to do to protect themselves.
“Be the person to provide that ongoing support and advice.
“Trust your instincts – if it’s too good to be true or sounds like a scam, it probably is.”
Anyone who believed they had been victim to a scam should make a report to police on 105 or visit their local station.
