Facebook Marketplace Scams
Police are urging members of the public to be aware of Facebook Marketplace scams, in particular tiny home, shipping container and portable cabin home scams targeting Hawke’s Bay and the Eastern Police District.
Multiple people have seen the different listings and either paid deposits or the full price into various bank accounts.
Once the victim transfers money, the scammer deletes the listing, all the messages and blocks them.
In one case a victim has lost $10,000, with further victims losing in the thousands.
In many of these cases the offenders are based overseas and our ability to recover the funds transferred is limited.
“We are urging members of the community to think twice before transferring money for items on Facebook and other social media platforms.” says Senior Constable Gillon.
Anyone who has been affected by this scam is encouraged to contact Police online or via 105.
Senior Constable Gillon says if you decide to purchase off social media, we encourage you to take precautions to protect yourself.
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀:
💸 Insist on meeting to conduct transactions and examine the item before completing the transaction.
💸 Meet in a public place and take a friend. DO NOT go into someone’s house or allow them into yours.
💸 DO NOT deposit money into another person’s account before you have received the item.
💸 Learning more about the person you are buying from or selling to.
💸 You can tap on a person's profile on the product listing page to see if you have any friends in common, their marketplace activity, and any ratings they may have received.
💸 Ensure friends and family, especially anyone vulnerable, understand what to do to protect themselves.
💸 Be the person to provide that ongoing support and advice.
💸 Trust your instincts – if it’s too good to be true or sounds like a scam, it probably is.
If you believe you are or have been a victim of fraud, contact Police at www.police.govt.nz..., or call Police on 105 and report the matter. If you have handed over your bank details, contact your bank and immediately suspend your account.
Time to Tickle Your Thinker 🧠
If a zookeeper had 100 pairs of animals in her zoo, and two pairs of babies are born for each one of the original animals, then (sadly) 23 animals don’t survive, how many animals do you have left in total?
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Hastings Community Patrol
YOUR HASTINGS COMMUNITY PATROL
The Hastings District Community Patrol is a team of local, self-funded, volunteers that play a key role in keeping our local communities safe.
We are a group of dedicated volunteers who patrol the Hastings, Flaxmere, Havelock North and Cape Coast central, urban, and rural areas, focusing on crime prevention. We support the police by acting as extra 'eyes and ears', noting anything that could be suspicious and informing police of incidents requiring urgent attention.
We also work closely with the Local District Councils and other organizations sharing a similar interest in community safety.
Quote from the local police “Community Patrols are invaluable to Police; they keep an eye on neighbourhoods and provide valuable intelligence to Police who cannot be everywhere at once”
We carry out day and night patrols in our dedicated patrol vehicles with sign written liveries that are easily identified by the community.
Our patrol members receive full training and guidance according to the National Community Patrols of NZ protocols and police standards. All applicants are fully vetted by the police on applying.
Volunteering with your local Community Patrol is a great way to make our local community safer and offers an ideal way of being part of a local volunteer team. We would like to encourage other like-minded community members to join our highly committed team. You just need to be keen to learn, have keen eyes and ears, be friendly, honest and be over the age of 18. Being a member of a community patrol could put you on a pathway to a career with the police.
We are a diverse group of the community, and so, if you have the time, commitment and want to put something back into your local community, Community Patrols are seeking new members.
Getting started: Your first step is to express your interest by contacting our recruitment website cpnz.org.nz/join-cpnz. Alternatively, you can contact the Hastings patrols on hastings@cpnz.org.nz
We invite you to join us and be part of your local volunteer group of community patrollers.
Missing kitten
4 month old Male kitten, Wils, missing from Riverslea Road, Akina 24 hours. No collar but chipped and recently neutered.
Call Paul
0273448541
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