Police would like to warn anyone who buys and sells via online services to exercise extreme caution when sending and receiving funds from other supposed buyers and sellers.
The Thunder Bay Police Service’s Economic Crime Unit has become aware of a variety of scams that appear to target people selling items on social media platforms or popular online classified sites.
In one such incident, a local Kijiji user was selling an item when they were approached by a would-be buyer who offered them a cheque that exceeded the asking price. The seller was asked to provide the additional funds to a third-party, in this case a mover.
The seller became suspicious, and reported the incident to police. An investigation revealed the cheque provided to the seller was fraudulent and the third-party mover was likely part of a scam.
If you are selling items online, be especially cautious of any potential buyer who makes unique or bizarre requests of you. When buying online, be suspicious of any deal that seems too good to be true.
To learn more about ongoing scams and frauds, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online at: https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm