RCMP caution Albertans of ongoing money scams and potential frauds; avoid the pitfalls

Do not send money of any kind to people you don't know, unless it is an accredited financial or business institution.  This is strong crime prevention advice coming from Alberta RCMP, who continue to provide caution, and reminders to people, warning of ongoing frauds involving the buying and selling of products and services on major internet classified sites.

Fraudsters continue to try their hand at stealing money from unsuspecting persons, and have been known to make attempts at impersonating known businessmen, or trusted members of a community, with the goal of   garnering some credibility as they contact sellers of high-end and expensive items listed in classified ads.

Here is how it works.

Arrangements are made to attend the seller's location, or an other agreed upon location, to purchase these items in person.  Fraudsters later advise the seller that they have experienced troubles, more often they report vehicle troubles and are stuck. They then request funds be sent direct from the seller in order to fix the "problem", which will allow them to continue their travels to the point of intended transaction.  Sellers send the funds with the understanding that they will be reimbursed when the final sale has been made.

The "buyer" then disappears, and the seller is out their hard-earned money.  They have been defrauded.

Major internet classified sites warn the public of fraud.  One particular site suggests to, "...ensure that all transactions take place locally and in-person.  When buying or selling, you should meet in-person to see the product and exchange funds.  Meet in a public place, with many people around, such as a coffee shop...".

Also, "...never send or wire money to sellers or buyers.  This includes never mailing a cheque or, using payment services like ... Western Union or Money Gram ... to pay for items".

If you suspect that you may be, or have been a target of fraud, or you have already sent funds, don't be embarrassed, you're not alone.   You need to report the incident to police as soon as possible.

If you want to report a fraud, or if you need more information, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at toll free: 1-888-495-8501, toll free fax: 1-888-654-9426 or email: info@antifraudcentre.ca