Sterling Heights Police Department offers safe trade zone
STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — A Macomb County police department is reminding folks participating in e-commerce exchanges of how they can protect themselves and avoid being scammed during a transaction.
While the holidays have come and gone, it's still that time of year when people sell and buy things online. Before you meet up in person for a trade, law enforcement at the Sterling Heights Police Department urges folks to find a safe location to meet.
"We want to be able to offer a good location for people to be safe, do your transactions," said Captain Mario Bastianelli.
Bastianelli says the inside lobby and front parking lot of the Sterling Heights Police Department are always available for buyers and sellers who connect on the internet to do their exchange.
"It's all monitored by cameras; we have police officers all around, and it's a safe zone. It's a good location. You don't know who you're meeting, so you want to make sure you're protected when you're making these transactions," Bastianelli stated.
He says oftentimes, it's strangers meeting up for a trade and some that could have a hidden agenda with the intent to commit a crime.
"These things happen year-round, really, but during the holidays people have more goods, and they're selling stuff online, and there are bad people out there that are looking to rob people and steal from people, so these types of things you have to be very cautious about," he said.
Bastianelli recommends the following safety tips during an exchange:
Limit the amount of cash you bring; use a cash app instead.
Bring someone with you and always tell people where you're going.
Never go to someone's home, and be sure to connect during the day, not at night.
Insist on meeting at a safe zone like a police department. If something feels 'off,' trust your instincts.
"If they don't feel comfortable meeting in a safe place, they're probably looking to set you up to rob you or steal your money or your belongings. We want to keep you safe, and there's going to be no safer place than the police department," said Bastianelli.
Bastianelli says most local police departments should have no issue with folks doing these exchanges in their parking lots to stay safe and says if you're able to go inside and let the officers know once you get there, they can then monitor the transaction.
