Warning issued by police after string of buy-and-sell frauds in Cambridge

A recent string of buy-and-sell frauds in Cambridge, Ont., has prompted Waterloo regional police to issue a warning to area residents to exercise caution when completing these types of deals.

Police say officers from South Division are investigating a number of fraud cases that have occurred over the past five months.

In one of the cases, police say they were contacted by the victim of a fraud that occurred near Burnett Avenue on May 6.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The victim was looking to buy a smartphone from a buy-and-sell website but when they met with the seller and paid for the phone, they were handed an empty package and the suspect would not give them their money back.

Police say they are expecting to lay charges in connection with the case and are using it to highlight the issues people have faced.

They offered a number of tips to help avoid becoming a victim in one of these cases, including the use of the Buy and Sell Exchange Zones at three police stations across the region.

“These zones, which are located in the parking lot of WRPS facilities, aim to provide some additional peace of mind to those who are buying, selling, or trading property online,” a release from police read. “Members of the public are encouraged to utilize these Exchange Zones when meeting people to finalize online transactions.”

Police also note that if residents are unable to use one of their free locations to make an exchange, they should choose a well-lit, public and popular location for safety reasons.