PALMDALE – Citing a rise in local robberies linked to online marketplace apps, the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station issued a safety advisory Monday.
“Over the past several days, Palmdale has seen an increase in robberies due to transactions arranged through online buying/selling apps such as Offerup, Craigslist, Facebook, Letgo, etc.,” the advisory reads. “Please follow these safety tips when using online buy/sell Apps to avoid becoming the victim of a crime.”
Safety Tips for Online Buying/Selling
- Never agree to meet at night.
- Meet in a public place during daylight hours.
- Meet in a place that is well lit and visible.
- Do not agree to meet at your home, behind closed businesses, or alleyways.
- Consider meeting in a location with surveillance cameras, like the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station lobby or the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station parking lot. The Palmdale Station has a section in the front parking lot labeled Exchange Zone. The Exchange Zone is monitored by 24-hour surveillance cameras and is specifically designed for these type of transactions.
- If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- And lastly, if the buyer or seller refuses to follow these simple guidelines, this should be a red flag!
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Consumer Safety says
* Save your money and purchase new at a brick and mortar or online.
Robert says
Come on, come on sense should tell people that if it is too good to be true, or the buyer/seller ask you to meet up at shady place, then that probably is a deal one should avoid.