Dorset Police are warning the public to exercise caution when purchasing items online, following a series of reported scams in Bournemouth. The police received two reports on the 10th and 19th of June 2023, involving individuals who had arranged to purchase Samsung S32 Ultra mobile phones via Facebook Marketplace. The buyers had agreed to meet the seller outside an address in central Bournemouth and paid £700 for the devices, which later turned out to be cheap fakes.
We are urging members of the public to be wary when purchasing items via online sites such as Facebook Marketplace and to make sure you are completely satisfied with the authenticity of any product before you make the payment – genuine sellers will accept this as the correct practice.
Inspector Dave Hambleton, Dorset Police
Hambleton also warned about sellers using fake profiles to arrange transactions and the dangers of meeting strangers in public places to hand over funds.
Dorset Police are appealing to anyone who has been a victim of a similar scam or has information about the incidents to get in touch. Information can be provided by contacting Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk or by calling 101 and quoting occurrence number 55230094650.
Alternatively, the independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.
The police hope that by raising awareness of these incidents, they can prevent further scams and encourage victims to come forward. They are also urging all online shoppers to thoroughly check the authenticity of items before making a purchase, particularly when dealing with high-value goods such as mobile phones.
Submit a story
