Online buyer taken for a ride
Be careful when selling or buying motor vehicles or other goods online.
A MARGATE man was robbed of R13 000 when he tried to buy a car through the OLX website last Thursday.
The man paid in the large deposit and never heard from the seller again.
Police spokesman, Captain Gerald Mfeka, said the 52-year-old man contacted someone from Commissioner Street, Boksburg, who had advertised a car for sale on the well-known site. He was told by the salesman, ‘Mike’, that he had to pay a deposit of 50 percent, which he did.
‘Mike’ then promised to deliver the vehicle. He waited and waited, then phoned ‘Mike’ who told him the driver was just passing through Pietermaritzburg.
Alas, the vehicle never arrived and ‘Mike’ then brazenly told his victim to ‘just forget about the deal’ and that he would not be getting his deposit back.
Police are investigating a case of fraud.
Captain Mfeka warns to be careful when selling or buying motor vehicles or other goods online.
“If something sounds too good to be true, it normally is,” he said.
