Police warn sellers using Gumtree to avoid dodgy meeting places
Bankstown Police are warning sellers using social media sites to make a few extra bucks, including Gumtree, not to put themselves at risk.
The Express
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Savvy residents trying to make a few bucks using popular social media apps, in particular the very popular Gumtree, are being warned to be careful where they meet their prospective buyers.
Bankstown Police commander Detective Superintendent Murray Reynolds told The Express his officers have been investigating complaints people have been robbed while trying to sell goods via Gumtree.
In March 2019, a heavily pregnant Greenacre woman, who was trying to sell her 2014 Mercedes after advertising it online, was allegedly carjacked while her two children were inside the vehicle.
“Many people, who are using Gumtree and other social media to sell property, agree to meet the buyers late at night or at a remote place,” commander Reynolds said.
“People should be wary because they are putting themselves in a vulnerable position where they can be robbed.
“Last month we had three to four incidents where residents complained they had been robbed (while selling property on Gumtree).
“We did investigate the cases. Nevertheless people should not put themselves at risk and should tell the buyer or seller they will meet them during the day at a public area or go to the person’s house if they are satisfied with them.”
A Gumtree spokeswoman told The Express they always encourage members to buy and sell locally and meet in person.
“While the majority of our members have a positive experience, sometimes bad seeds do target our users,” she said.
“For personal ease and safety, arrange to meet in a busy public place and take a friend or family member with you.
“It can be beneficial to ask a buyer to show their personal identification before you hand over any goods for inspection.
“We encourage our community to report any concerning or suspicious ads and to report any suspected unlawful activity to the police.”
MOST COMMON CYBER CRIMES
According to the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the most common types of cyber crime reported are identity theft, online fraud, shopping scams, online romance scams and business email compromise.
ACSC said it receives one cybercrime report every 10 minutes from individuals and businesses.
During November, ScamWatch reported that 992 Australians lost more than $413,677 in online shopping scams, with more females (51.4 per cent) than males (46.9 per cent) being the victims.
Commander Murray said those using random social media to sell property have to be very wary, saying it would be good to have someone with you when you do the transaction.
You can report online crime: https://www.cyber.gov.au/