Another Scam: Richfield Police Warn Of Craiglist Thieves

The Richfield Police Department is warning residents of a scam on Craiglist targeting people who are selling goods.

Police say the suspects email and text, usually from an out-of-state phone number, before sending a check or cashier’s check:

The amount on the check is for considerably more than the cost of the item. The suspect then makes up a story to have the seller MoneyGram the excess to someone else in the country. The suspect may claim to be in the military or say something else that may trick the seller into thinking they are legitimate buyers. The checks are not good and the victims are out the money.

Police say you should only take cash and conduct local transactions if you are using Craigslist. The Richfield Police Department parking lot (6700 Portland Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55423) may serve as a good, designated Craigslist transaction location.

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Exchanges of merchandise should take place in the parking lot, which is under video surveillance. Because parking at the municipal center is limited during business hours (8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.), police encourage buyers and sellers to meet on weekends or outside of business hours.

Doing business at, or near the police department may discourage fraudulent or dangerous behavior but it’s also important to bring someone along with you when meeting up with a Craigslist seller or buyer.

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