We are aware of a scam circulating in your area. 
 

Free online auction & selling sites such as Ebay , Vinted , Depop & Gumtree amongst others are a great way to make a bit of extra cash . You can advertise items for sale on Facebook Market Place but unlike most of the sites dedicated to this practice , both buyer & seller are left alone to arrange payment and then subsequent delivery & pick up .

Criminals have become wise to this and are using this to exploit the sellers by offering the opportunity of a quick sale at the asking price & offering to pick the item up by courier service . In most cases , this is a scam ! Once paid for , the delivery  of the item never happens , the criminal profile will be uncontactable , and the person has lost the money . 

Please help us raise awareness of this scam by informing your elderly or vulnerable relatives, friends and neighbours.

Legitimate sellers on Facebook Market Place  will not request any additional  payment beyond the cost of the item & shipping fees. if someone asks you to send money for the unexpected charges , cancel the transaction immediately and report the fake profile to Facebook using the" Report Seller  " process.

For advice on keeping your YOURSELF/PROPERTY/CAR etc., you can find plenty of crime prevention advice on our website: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/

If you have any further information about these incidents, we’d like to hear from you. Please complete the following online form  https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/

Please note, we're unable to accept reports of crime through Your Neighbourhood Alerts. You can report non-emergency crime online here. Always call 999 in an emergency.