POLICE have warned Redlanders to be wary while shopping online after a man reportedly paid $39,000 to order a motor home that he never received.
The man reported the incident to Capalaba police last week, saying he had made inquiries about a motor home he had seen online and had been contacted by the supposed seller.
The seller allegedly said he lived overseas and had signed the motor home over to a Sydney-based company for sale on consignment.
"An elaborate web page for this company was set up and appears to be very much a trustworthy and legitimate company," Senior Sergeant David Candale said.
The man transferred almost $39,000 expecting the motor home to be delivered over the following week.
After waiting several days beyond the delivery date, the man notified police.
"It was revealed this was a scam occurring over several states in Australia," Senior Sergeant Candale said.
"It appears the fraudsters may target people who may not be as savvy with computer internet skills and may not readily recognise these scams when they come about.
"There are a number of ways to check the validity of company and seller names through simple internet search engine checks and also (Australian Business Number) checks.
"All Australian states have a (vehicle identification number) search service and for a small fee a (prospective) buyer can save themselves a lot of money and heartache.
"At the end of the day, if a deal sounds too good to be true, then it probably is."
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission also warned of online shopping scams in the lead-up to Christmas, encouraging people to do their research before making an online purchase and inspect expensive products before making a payment.
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