Two men allegedly involved in an online Facebook Marketplace scam have been arrested at the Riverlands Mall in Observatory. They were detained by members of the police’s Drone Unit who responded to a complaint of a possible fraud incident at the mall.
It’s understood that the complainant had sold his camera online and arranged for the item to be handed over to the prospective buyers after receiving notification of an immediate payment of R29 000. But his suspicions were raised when the money didn’t reflect in his bank account.
Police spokesperson Colonel André Traut says two cellphones were confiscated as part of the investigation. He adds that police checks revealed a fraud case had been registered against the pair at Milnerton SAPS. The men have also been linked to other alleged incidents in which three victims were reportedly scammed.
Police have urged members of the public to exercise caution when buying or selling goods online, warning that scammers often use fake proof of payment and fraudulent instant payment notifications to deceive. They stressed that a payment notification or screenshot is not proof that funds have been received.
Sellers are also urged to independently verify that funds reflect in their bank accounts before handing over goods, regardless of how convincing the buyer’s proof of payment may appear.
