Man pays $275 online for iPhone, gets bar of soap
QMI Agency
First posted: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 08:41 PM EST | Updated: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 08:53 PM EST
OWEN SOUND, Ont. -- A Meaford, Ont., man's attempt to buy an iPhone on Kijiji was a washout when he ended up paying $275 for a bar of soap.
Grey County OPP issued a news release about the scam to remind people to be cautious about online shopping.
The victim bought the phone in November, paid by e-mail money transfer, but didn't receive the phone from the private seller in the Kingston, Ont., area.
He called the seller to ask about the phone and was given a line about a friend's mother being ill, police said.
When a parcel arrived, it contained a bar of soap.
The fraud was reported to Grey County OPP Tuesday and forwarded to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Fraud centre spokesman Daniel Williams said people should only pay by credit card if possible. Credit card companies are better able to get money back, he said.
E-mail money transfers are an emerging payment method favoured by scammers, Williams said.
Man pays $275 online for iPhone, gets bar of soap | Weird | News | Toronto Sun
QMI Agency
First posted: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 08:41 PM EST | Updated: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 08:53 PM EST
OWEN SOUND, Ont. -- A Meaford, Ont., man's attempt to buy an iPhone on Kijiji was a washout when he ended up paying $275 for a bar of soap.
Grey County OPP issued a news release about the scam to remind people to be cautious about online shopping.
The victim bought the phone in November, paid by e-mail money transfer, but didn't receive the phone from the private seller in the Kingston, Ont., area.
He called the seller to ask about the phone and was given a line about a friend's mother being ill, police said.
When a parcel arrived, it contained a bar of soap.
The fraud was reported to Grey County OPP Tuesday and forwarded to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Fraud centre spokesman Daniel Williams said people should only pay by credit card if possible. Credit card companies are better able to get money back, he said.
E-mail money transfers are an emerging payment method favoured by scammers, Williams said.
Man pays $275 online for iPhone, gets bar of soap | Weird | News | Toronto Sun
