Online sellers beware: Police to investigate social media
After a meeting with the Second Hand Dealers Forum, police will be investigating people who sell second-hand goods online on a regular basis.
The Firearm Liquor And Second-hand Goods unit (FLASH) will be investigating people selling second hand items via social networks.
This came after a second-hand dealers meeting held last week on Wednesday morning.
According to Mariaan Kruger, a second-hand dealer, certain people had been using Newcastle Classifieds as a place to sell second hand items on a regular basis. “They are unlicensed and cutting legal dealers’ throats,” she said.
Captain Jerry Lutchman from FLASH said in order to pursue legal action against these people, police would need to prove without a doubt that they were indeed operating as a business.
“We will be looking into the matter to see what we can do. If there is a possibility that people are operating as an unlicensed business, they can be prosecuted or fined,” he said.
Mrs Kruger cautioned residents when buying items via the social network.
“Buyers are not always protected when buying through classifieds and the items they wanted might not work.”
