Fraud incidents have taken place in Ross-shire
NORTHERN Constabulary is warning the public to exercise caution when dealing with classified advertisement websites. There have been several incidents reported recently in the Ross-shire area where adverts have been placed online on a website called Craigslist (now available in the UK) and have resulted in a series of alleged frauds.
The perpetrator claims to be in the Ross-shire area and is clearing high value items from the estate of a recently deceased relative. All correspondence is carried out by email and no phone number is provided.
Members of the public can avoid would-be scammers by following these rules whenever using such websites:
  • Never give out financial information (bank account number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
  • Do not transfer money into any bank account details provided by sellers unless you have seen the goods for sale.
  • Deal locally with people you can meet in person – follow this one rule and avoid 99% of scam attempts.
  • Police advise caution when using money wire transfer services, especially when concerning payments in such circumstances.
If anyone feels they may have been a victim of a fraud they should contact their local Police station or you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.