As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin's Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Blair Dalton says there are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe on Facebook Marketplace this holiday season.
"A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller's Facebook profile was created," says Senior Sergeant Dalton.
"If it's very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item."
Another important step is to make sure the seller's profile name and bank account name match up.
"We're seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that's a huge red flag.
"When you're selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through.
"Quite frankly, it's best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage.
"Due diligence is also very important if you're purchasing expensive items. If you're buying a car on Marketplace, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it's stolen or if there's money owed on it."
Senior Sergeant Dalton emphasises that with Facebook Marketplace, a golden rule will always apply.
"If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is."
