A 26-year-old man from Glen Innes has been arrested and charged with 27 counts of fraud, all related to scams on Facebook Marketplace.
Police had issued a warrant for the man’s arrest following numerous fraud incidents across Tāmaki Makaurau in recent weeks. On Saturday night, officers searched a Glen Innes address, located the suspect, and took him into custody.
The man was scheduled to appear in Auckland District Court today, facing 27 charges of fraud connected to transactions on Facebook Marketplace. Police have opposed his bail.
Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton of Auckland City CIB stated that the arrest coincides with a worrying increase in reports of fraudulent activities on Facebook Marketplace.
“While Facebook Marketplace is a highly successful buy and sell platform, it has also become a hunting ground for criminals who use fake bank transfers to buy items or sell non-existent products,” Bolton explained. “Our Financial Crime Unit deals with up to 60 such reports a month, and the fake images used by these offenders are becoming increasingly convincing, leading more people to fall victim.”
Bolton emphasized that these scams are notoriously difficult to investigate and urged users of buy-and-sell platforms to exercise caution and perform due diligence.
Police offer the following advice for safe transactions on buy-and-sell platforms:
- Meet in Person: Always insist on meeting to conduct transactions and examine the item before completing the deal.
- Public Locations: Meet in a public place and bring a friend. Avoid going into someone’s house or letting them into yours.
- Secure Payment: Ensure you have received the item before transferring money.
- Research: Learn more about the person you are buying from or selling to.
- Support: Make sure friends and family, especially vulnerable individuals, understand how to protect themselves.
- Trust Instincts: If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
If you have provided your bank details to a scammer, immediately contact your bank to suspend your account. Victims of fraud are encouraged to report the matter to the police by visiting www.police.govt.nz/use-105 or calling 105.