A Brampton mother was left feeling violated and deceived after falling victim to a scam on Facebook Marketplace.
The incident occurred when the mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, was browsing the popular online marketplace for a pair of shoes for her daughter. She came across a listing for a pair of brand-name sneakers at a significantly discounted price and immediately messaged the seller to inquire about the item.
The seller, who went by the name “John,” responded quickly and claimed to be a local resident who needed to sell the shoes urgently due to financial difficulties. The mother, feeling sympathetic, agreed to purchase the shoes and arranged to meet the seller in a public place.
However, when she arrived at the designated meeting spot, she was met by a completely different person who claimed to be “John’s” friend. The friend handed over a bag containing the shoes and quickly left, leaving the mother feeling uneasy.
Upon inspecting the shoes, the mother realized that they were not the brand-name sneakers she had paid for, but rather cheap knock-offs. Feeling deceived and angry, she immediately contacted the seller, only to find that the Facebook account had been deleted.
The mother then took to social media to warn others about the scam and was shocked to find that many others had also fallen victim to the same scheme. It is believed that the scammer had been using multiple fake accounts to lure in unsuspecting buyers.
The mother has since reported the incident to the police and is urging others to be cautious when making purchases on Facebook Marketplace. She hopes that by sharing her story, she can prevent others from falling prey to similar scams.
In response to the incident, Facebook has stated that they have strict policies in place to prevent fraudulent activity on their platform and encourage users to report any suspicious behavior.
This unfortunate incident serves as a reminder to always exercise caution when making purchases online and to thoroughly research the seller before making any transactions. It is important to remember that if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
