Cape Town - Police have raised the alarm over an increase in online buying and selling scams, cautioning sellers to meet potential buyers at a public place.
Police spokesperson, Andrè Traut, said their analysis of crime trends initially pointed to Browns Farm in Nyanga where a murder occurred and the modus operandi was prevalent, however, the West Coast and the Winelands have also been affected.
“The Western Cape police are concerned about the number of cases reported where people who have used online platforms to advertise their goods fall victim to robberies or more serious crimes after being lured by criminals acting as buyers to make a delivery in certain areas.
“It is on this basis that we felt the need to caution the public in general that it is not safe to venture into an unfamiliar area to make a delivery, or meet a potential buyer of an item which had been advertised on an online platform such as Facebook’s Marketplace.
“It is advised to arrange a meeting with a potential buyer at a public place at a time when people are around or even in front of a police station. If the caller has an ulterior motive, he or she will in all probability make an alternative suggestion, which should raise a red flag.”
Traut said the SAPS did not discourage people from using online advertising platforms, but to exercise caution when doing so.
Cape Times