BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Police Department is urging people to be cautious about buying and selling used items over social media and apps.
In a Saturday post on Facebook, police say they have seen a few robberies in the City of Buffalo associated transactions such as these.
In February, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn and Buffalo Police Department Captain Jeff Rinaldo said there had been an uptick in crime when it comes to exchanges arranged via online marketplaces.
They urged residents to exercise caution take certain steps to prevent against being a victim of crime:
- Always arrange an exchange in a public space, preferably a location that has both witnesses and security cameras
- Never go alone to make an exchange
- Avoid scheduling exchanges at night
- Do not reveal personal information
- Always inspect or test the product before exchanging money
- Bring a cell phone to contact law enforcement to quickly report incidents
- Trust your instincts