Albany Police Warn Anyone Using Facebook Marketplace

Do you buy and sell things on social media platforms and meet up with strangers to complete the transaction?

A lot of people do - it's fast, convenient, and in most cases, it may feel safe and relatively secure.

But is it safe?

Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash

The Albany Police sent a message out warning residents about several scams people are reporting on social media sites like Facebook Marketplace and here's what they want you to know.

On their Facebook page, the Albany Police chronicled what appears to be an ongoing problem in the area, where people are getting scammed which has resulted in several robberies.

Over the last couple of weeks, officers have responded to several robberies that were the result of persons attempting to sell products that they posted on social media sites such as Facebook Marketplace.

The Albany Police note that in each case, the buyer and seller agreed to meet at a specific location in Albany and during their meeting, the seller had items forcibly stolen from them.

What can be done to prevent these social media and online scams that look legit?

The Albany Police have offered a solution - and it makes sense, as long as both parties agree.

On their Facebook page, the Albany Police Department encouraged both the buyer and seller to meet at one of the police stations explaining that, "our lobbies are open 24/7 and available to prevent these types of robberies from occurring."

If you'd like to arrange and complete a transaction safely inside an Albany Police station, you have two options:

Center Station - 536 Western Avenue - 518-458-5660

South Station 126 Arch Street - 518-462-8049

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