Clearwater RCMP remind the public to exercise caution with online purchases after receiving a complaint of a fraudulent transaction on a buy and sell Facebook page.
RCMP Sgt. Grant Simpson said on Jan. 19, a man called the detachment to report the scam, where he had found a quad and ramps on the ‘Buy & Sell British Columbia’ Facebook page, advertised by a female. Simpson said the man chatted with the seller via Facebook Messenger and finalized the purchase with an e-transfer. He then attended the address given in Clearwater to pick up the quad and was told by the residents there that nobody by the name of the female seller lives there.
Simpson said the man confirmed with his bank that the e-transfer went through and obtained a name from the confirmation. All names utilized were checked and queried and appear to false/fictitious names. Police explained to the complainant that not much further in terms of investigation can be done with these types of fraud files.
“If possible, make personal contact with any potential sellers or purchasers prior to conducting any transactions, in order to view, or show items to be purchased. Wherever possible try to have a friend or family member accompany you and conduct transactions with cash,” said Simpson.
In all, Clearwater RCMP responded to 32 calls for service this past week, Jan. 14-21.
Simpson said other calls for service included a report from a trucking company claiming another freight truck clipped one of his drivers’ trucks while travelling through the Clearwater area, and a call in Little Fort, where a woman left her vehicle in a private parking lot after it was determined it wasn’t road worthy as a result of a collision in Barriere.
In the case of the alleged truck clipping, Simpson said the complainant did not return calls from police for further information and the file was concluded.
Regarding the damaged vehicle, Simpson said the owner has to have the vehicle moved, and in the meantime, and the truck was interfering with the snow clearing, which resulted in a snow bank around the vehicle. The business advised they would call RCMP should they observe anyone clearing the snow bank in anticipation of driving the truck away.
