It was just a matter of time before it happened. Kelowna RCMP are confirming a case of fraud where a Lake Country resident has forked over $3200 for four non existent Stanley Cup final tickets.
Police were advised on May 29th that the victim had seen the tickets on a Toronto Internet Classified site. Emails were exchanged between the victim and suspect and a $3200 bank transfer was done. Since the transaction, the victim has not been able to contact the suspect and has received no tickets.
Police are investigating the incident as a fraud and are warning the public, once again, to be wary of such offers. There is no real way to tell if a seller, using the internet classifieds, is honest or not. It is not difficult to set up an email account, a phone number and an online bank account using false information. Then, after bilking unsuspecting victims of thousands of dollars, simply close up shop to avoid detection, and start all over again.
Do your homework before buying anything on line. Stick with reputable retailers and ask a lot of questions. If possible, use a company like Pay Pal to facilitate purchases as they can insure against loss.