Police have warned the public, particularly those in the construction sector and people purchasing goods online, about a new scam involving advertisements on platforms such as ikman and Facebook Marketplace.
Under the scam, fraudsters advertise construction materials such as asbestos sheets, cement and other goods at prices significantly lower than the market rate.
After a customer places an order, the scammer contacts a genuine hardware store in the customer’s area and arranges for the goods to be delivered to the customer’s home or construction site.
Once the goods arrive, the scammer contacts the customer and instructs them to transfer the payment to a bank account provided by the scammer.
The customer only realises they have been deceived when the delivery driver or hardware store asks for payment. In such cases, the customer may lose both the money transferred to the scammer and the goods.
Police have advised the public to take the following precautions:
- Do not make an online payment simply because goods have been delivered to your home or site.
- Directly contact the delivery driver or the owner of the hardware store and verify the transaction.
- If making a bank transfer, send the payment only to the official bank account registered in the name of the relevant hardware store.
- Alternatively, opt for cash on delivery where possible.