(MUNICIPALITY OF WEST PERTH, ON) On February 16, 2010 a West Perth resident contacted the Perth County OPP and reported having been defrauded out of $3,500.00
The resident corresponded with a female in Fort McMurray, Alta. on Windows Live Hotmail about the purchase of a pickup truck. The seller explained that she was divorced, had two children and did not require the truck any longer. A purchase price for the truck was agreed upon.
The seller explained to the buyer that the truck was sitting at a shipping company in Fort McMurray and that she would be using a reputable well known on-line purchasing company protection program, since she had a twenty thousand dollar protection account with them. The seller assured the buyer that this protection program would ensure security for both parties.
The seller requested that the money be sent via a Money Gram to a third party at an address in Fort McMurray. Once she had received confirmation that the money had arrived she would have the truck shipped. The buyer would then have five days to inspect the truck, allowing for rejection or acceptance of the purchase.
Thinking that the vehicle was being purchased through the well known on-line purchasing company the buyer sent the money but did not received his truck. The buyer contacted the on-line company’s customer support department and was advised that this purchase was a fraud. They advised the buyer that their fraud investigators would be made aware of this incident.
The Perth County OPP is continuing to investigate this occurrence.