Scammers are ramping up their activity and looking for victims in the South in the lead-up to Christmas, police have warned.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit was seeing more people fall victim to scams and fraud, especially on Facebook Marketplace, Senior Sergeant Blair Dalton said.
“If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is,” he said.
There were a few ways to avoid the scams and stay safe on Facebook Marketplace, he said.
“A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created,” says Senior Sergeant Dalton.
“If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
It was also important to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name matched up.
“We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member – that’s a huge red flag.
“When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through.
“Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage.”
Anyone buying a car on Marketplace should check Carjam.co.nz to see if it was stolen or if money was owed on it”
Dunedin police were also seeing a rise in text messages, phone calls, and emails pretending to be from banks.
“Key things to remember are that a bank will never contact you asking for your login information.
“Your bank will also never ask you to withdraw cash or ask you to deliver your bank card for collection.
“If you’re suspicious, reach out to your bank immediately and report what has happened.
“Suspicious activity can also be reported on 105.”
– Allied Media