The Sarnia Police Service is warning the public of the perils of buying in-demand concert tickets from sites like Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji.
In the past, hacked or fake accounts were used to advertise tickets for sale on public groups. In the cases of hacked accounts, the listings appear legitimate because they appear to come from a person known to the victim. In most cases, the tickets are sold at prices well below the typical reseller price, leading the victim to believe they are getting a fantastic deal.
In the most recent case reported to the Sarnia Police, the victim sent $500 to an individual via e-transfer after being sent pictures of tickets on Facebook Marketplace. The Facebook account then blocked the victim immediately and failed to send the tickets. The Sarnia Police Service routinely gets these types of complaints as these high-profile concerts or sporting events approach.
As a general rule, never forward funds to unknown persons expecting to receive the items at a later date. Also, if something appears too good to be true it probably is.