Don’t get scammed on buy, swap and sell

THERE has been a recent spike in scams on local online platforms such as Facebook marketplace and local community pages. Scammers appear to be selling items in very condition for remarkable prices, but the aim is theft.

One way to spot these scams on the local pages is to look at whether comments have been disabled. The aim is for you to contact them directly, and this is where you get hooked. The scammers appear reasonable and happy to help but when you start to question when they request payment up front, the attitude can change and statements appear such as, “I have someone interested who is willing to pay now, do you want it or not?”

In cases like these, don’t fall for it and just say, “No thanks they can have it.” They are playing on how much you really want the item and the price it’s going for.

Another tactic scammers are using is local addresses and names of someone you may know, however it is not them and they have been hacked.

It’s best to know who you’re dealing with. If you’ve only ever met someone online or are unsure of the legitimacy of a business, take some time to do a bit more research. One way to identify whether the person you’re dealing with is legitimate, click on their name and view their Facebook profile. You will usually find their Facebook page has been developed quite recently with only one or two photos attached to their profile.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, then it’s probably a scam. Always use…

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