Police warn of 'uptick' in online marketplace thefts in Waterloo region

Before deciding to post unwanted items online, the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) are reminding people to make they're being as safe as possible.

Const. Melissa Quarrie, a public information officer at WRPS, told CBC K-W's The Morning Edition host Craig Norris, that police tend to see a little "uptick" in calls for online marketplace buy-and-sell robberies during the spring and summer months.

"I don't know if that's connected to people doing spring cleaning, or wanting to refresh their residences or things that they're owning, but we do see these things happen not infrequently," said Quarrie. 

In a news release Sunday, WRPS said they continue to investigate a "person on person robbery" that happened in the area of Hollywood Court and Birmingham Drive in Cambridge in mid-February. 

A more recent robbery happened in mid-March. Police said a person, who thought they were meeting up with a buyer for the cellphone they posted online, was threatened with a machete. The victim's phone was then stolen. The robbery happened in the area of Pattandon Avenue and Mill Street in Kitchener. A Kitchener man was later arrested and charged.

"It's definitely a cause for concern when people are just trying to sell their items and are experiencing violence or theft," said Quarrie.

Quarrie says there are often clues to spotting a fraudulent buyer or seller.

"Someone who has a really quick timeline, someone who isn't able to answer any of your follow up questions, anyone who's wanting to exchange e-transfers or cash-in-advance payments," are some of the common signs, she said. "If something doesn't feel right, trust your gut."

There are also other steps a person can take to ensure that an online buy-and-sell transaction will be as safe as possible, said Quarrie. The first step is doing as much background research as possible.  

Having recently sold a change table herself, she says "inquiring the person's name, their phone number, [and] checking their rating as a buyer and a seller on the application," would be a good start in vetting a buyer. A recently created profile also presents a red flag.

"Ask some follow up questions to people," Quarrie said. "If something doesn't feel right, then you can always decline the sale."

For buyers on the other hand, Quarrie says it's always good to remember that "if something feels too good to be true, it likely is." 

She advises against making advance payments before the meet-up. She also said to make sure you tell someone where you're going, who you're meeting, and what time you're supposed to meet.