Ontario Provincial Police are reminding the public to be vigilant when making purchases online, after a Kawartha Lakes, Ont., resident was defrauded while trying to buy chickens on Facebook Marketplace.
Officers said they opened an investigation following a complaint from a local resident. The person agreed to purchase three Black Copper Marans chickens and sent an e-transfer of $60 to a user. Police say the suspect utilized a local Facebook buy-and-sell group.
Police said the buyer was instructed to pick up the livestock at an address on Chambers Road in Fellows Township. Upon arrival, the victim found out the address was unrelated to the suspect.
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The post has since been removed from Facebook.
Police are working to identify the user behind the post.
OPP say there are ways to protect yourself when making purchases in online marketplaces. They suggest researching the seller and avoiding making payments beforehand.
They also recommend confirming pickup locations and reporting any suspicious activity to group administrators.
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According to Facebook Marketplace’s Commerce Policy, users are prohibited from promoting the buying, selling or trading of live animals or animal products.
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