It’s seller beware, warn police

POLICE are warning seniors to be aware of who they sell items to online as the process can carry an expensive risk for the seller.

The scam goes like this:

■ An unsuspecting seller posts an item for sale online, often on the website Gumtree.

■ A potential buyer makes contact with the seller and requests to buy the item sight unseen.

■ The buyer then insists on transferring the purchase price by electronic bank transfer, straight away.

■ They then become an offender by sending the seller, now a victim, a photograph of a fake online banking transfer receipt and a fraudulently obtained copy of an innocent victim’s driver’s licence purporting to be the person buying the item.

■ Then the offender insists on sending a third party, usually a legitimate courier or delivery service, to collect the item immediately from the victim.

■ The victim parts with the item only to find that the purchase money never reaches the victim’s bank account and all the respective account numbers and references on the transfer receipt are false.

The police advise this scam is usually done on higher value items ranging from $1000 to $25,000. Items include cars, machinery and mechanical parts.

Some offenders have previously been charged with such offences. Now it appears details of the scam have filtered out to numerous other criminals and it is believed that use of the scam is increasing.

To report any information in relation to persons involvement in this type of scam, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.