Police in Powys have issued a warning to residents on a range of scams used by criminals on Facebook marketplace.

Officers say common ploys include courier scams, where sellers are invoiced by someone purporting to be from a well known courier firm, and have urged people to exercise caution when meeting up to exchange goods.

Now Police have offered some top tips to sellers to help them to stay safe on Facebook Marketplace, after a number of similar crimes have been recorded across the UK in recent months.

"We would like to remind people to be careful when selling or buying items on Facebook Marketplace and not fall for the tricks used by criminals to scam people out of money," a spokesperson for Dyfed Powys Police said.

"A common ploy by criminals is they state that they are sending a courier to pick the goods, and the courier is bringing the money with them. The criminal then states that the courier firm will be in contact to organise collection. The seller then receives an invoice from a courier company, normally a falsified invoice purporting to be from a well-known courier company.

"The criminal states that the courier will bring the purchase price plus the extra money from the invoice with them, but this is obviously a lie."

 

Top tips from Dyfed Powys Police

• Never send items before you have received ‘verified’ payment.

• Sometimes fake emails are sent purporting to be from the buyer’s bank stating that money will not be released until proof of purchase has been received – this is a scam, the email is not from the buyer’s bank.

• Always check that the money has arrived and is cleared in your account and that it is not still ‘awaiting confirmation’.

• Do not use unusual payment methods – only use Facebook Checkout, PayPal or cash when using Facebook Marketplace.

• If you use PayPal – never select family and friends payments – this will completely negate your ability to get a refund.

• Be wary of anyone that overpays and then requests a refund immediately. Always let the money clear to your account first and then enter into dialogue about mistaken overpayment. It is very rare for someone to overpay, but criminals use this ploy a lot.

• If a purchaser offers you a part-exchange, make sure that they are not offering you stolen goods in exchange.

• If you meet-up in person with any purchaser on Facebook, think of your own safety – meet in a well-lit, public place and try to have a family member or friend accompany you.