Warning over 'For Sale' groups

Many people will have come across ‘For Sale' or ‘Wanted' groups. There are some good bargains to be had and a lot of genuine sellers, but police warn there are some risks involved when buying through Facebook.

'There have been cases of goods not turning up (with the seller claiming that it has been mailed) or goods being counterfeit or stolen,” says Bay of Plenty Police on their Facebook page.


Police are warning people of the risks when buying through Facebook.

'We have even had a case where someone paid cash for phone in an original sealed box. It worked fine for 10 days and then stopped and when the buyer checked out why he was told the phone had been blacklisted and referred to the phone company's fraud team.”

Consumer Affairs offer the following great advice to help people from getting caught out.

• If possible, inspect the goods in person before buying.

• Look for feedback from other customers who have bought similar items from the seller.

• If you are buying an expensive item (eg a car), check the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) before buying to check that there is no money owing on it. Consider using an escrow service (eg Safe Trader or SafeKiwi) where you pay the money to an independent third party who doesn't release the money to the seller until you've received the goods.

• Make sure you get a receipt and the name and address of the seller, and record anything the seller has told you about the item. If anything goes wrong, you can use this information to track down the seller and/or make a claim at the Disputes Tribunal.

• Be suspicious of any deal that sounds too good to be true: Some people use their Facebook pages to sell stolen goods. If it is a 'steal', it usually is. If the item is really cheap, ask them why. Could that mobile phone be a fake? Or maybe they have no intention of sending you anything in return for your payment.

Report any suspicious activity to your local police station.

Alternatively, information can be left anonymously via the Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 line.

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