North West police have warned the public to exercise caution when responding to online advertisements as criminals are increasingly using tricks to scam citizens, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
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In a statement, police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone confirmed there’s been a spike in cases of car buyers getting scammed on the Facebook platform.
The latest incident occurred on Saturday, 15 April 2023, when a prospective car buyer responded to an online advertisement for a Toyota Quantum sale on Facebook Marketplace.
The seller, Brig Mokgwabone revealed, claimed to be the lawful owner, and a meeting was arranged in Tswelelang, Wolmaransstad, for a test drive.
The victim drove with the owner to collect the necessary documents, and along the way, they offered hitchhikers a lift.
However, what the car buyer did not know was that the hitchhikers were in cahoots with the seller.
According to police, the victim was robbed of his cellphone and forced out of the vehicle.
“The public is therefore urged to be vigilant of social media and online advertisements. Should they become suspicious, they are advised to contact the nearest police station,” Brig Mokgwabone warned.
Police also advised car buyers to purchase from reputable and registered car dealers and avoid, at all costs, turning to Facebook Marketplace for below-market deals.
Police added that carrying large sums of cash only exposes car buyers to potential harm.
“Prospective buyers are requested to buy from reputable and registered car dealers, not to carry large amounts of cash nor pay money in cash during transactions, but rather opt for an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT),” Brig Mokgwabone said.
