The Sarnia Police Service has received multiple reports of Facebook Marketplace scams.
It is important that buyers and sellers alike take steps to protect themselves when purchasing online, particularly in a forum like Marketplace where there is not always a way to legitimize sellers or purchases.
To avoid Marketplace scams, the Sarnia Police Service recommends the following:
- Do your research by checking the profiles of sellers and buyers. Look for whether the individual is in your local area, if the account was created recently or has no followers, or if you have mutual friends you can reach out to and verify their authenticity.
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Never send a deposit for an item listed
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Do not prepay for items
- Confirm payments have gone through, where possible
It is always important that buyers and sellers do their due diligence when purchasing on sites like Marketplace. If an account has no followers or was recently created, it might be a scam.