Warning to public following reports of scams in Bournemouth
Officers are urging members of the public to be vigilant when buying items online following reported scams in the Bournemouth area.
Dorset Police received reports of incidents on Saturday 10 June 2023 and Monday 19 June 2023 where individuals had agreed to purchase mobile phones via Facebook Marketplace and agreed to meet the seller outside an address in central Bournemouth.
They paid £700 in exchange for the phones – both reports involved a Samsung S32 Ultra – but the devices were subsequently found to be cheap fakes.
Inspector Dave Hambleton, of Dorset Police, said: “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 is the correct practice.
“Sellers can use fake profiles to arrange transactions and I would urge members of the public to be cautious about meeting strangers in public places to hand over funds.
“I would also urge anyone who has been the victim of a similar scam, or who has any information regarding the incidents detailed above that might assist our investigation, to please contact us.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55230094650. Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.
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