ABERDEEN NEWS — Aberdeen SAPS have issued a warning to all those who make use of internet sales sites to be very careful before parting with any cash or goods.
The warning follows a case of theft under false pretences which was opened this week by a 27-year-old farm worker from Lotusville, Aberdeen.
The potential buyer was looking for a car and saw an advertisement on a Gumtree website for a Toyota Tazz for R20 000. There were several photographs of the car, which appeared to be in excellent condition, and it seemed a real bargain.
He contacted the seller, who said he was in Aliwal North and was asked to pay a deposit of R3 000, which he did on December 30. After two days, he had heard nothing more from the seller and contacted him again. The seller said he would be on his way, but needed the buyer to make another deposit for petrol for the delivery. The buyer then paid another R3 000, on January 1.
At this point, the buyer began to suspect that there could be a problem, and he contacted a family member who is with the police. The detective warrant office phoned the seller, identified himself and asked about the purchase, whereupon the seller said that the matter was nothing to do with the police. He once again promised to deliver the vehicle, but the buyer has heard nothing further. On the advice of the detective, the frustrated buyer has opened a case, which is currently under investigation.
The advice from the police is to take the utmost care when making a purchase from an unknown individual, whether it is in response to an online advertisement or one in the press. Scammers will use a cellphone contact number only, so there is no easy way for a buyer to check their location. It is recommended to ask for a landline contact number wherever possible. If the seller seems evasive, there is probably reason to be concerned, especially if they ask for repeated deposits before delivery.
To those selling goods online, similar precautions should be taken regarding the identity of the buyer. Goods should never be released before the money has been received, either as cash or reflecting in a bank account. Proof of payment by SMS or email can be forged and should not be accepted as proof that the money is actually in an account.
Once again, in this case, the old adage that “if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is” seems to have been borne out as true.
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