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Though efforts are made to minimize, scam attempts can and do happen on both sides of the buyer-seller equation. Never send money or personal info without seeing the item you’re buying in person and never sell an item to someone that is trying to engage in a transaction from out of this area.  
 
This is something I’ve continued to stress over the years and strongly encourage you to do the same if there is someone in your circle that needs to be up to speed on how to conduct transactions safely!  
 
In the era of Covid and social distancing that introduces extra complexities, which is why I advise to delay buying or selling while we're in code red if you aren’t able to partake in a transaction safely both financially and in terms of public health.  
 
Thanks to everyone that reports suspect ads and replies when they’re aware of them. Those reports are a huge part of making the classifieds the toughest possible environment for those with less than honourable intentions!

Please send a note through the Contact link on this site with specifics on any suspect dealings you may have encountered, especially if it happens to fall outside of the typical recognizable patterns of:  
 
-purported buyer from outside of the region committing to buying an item site-unseen.  
-purported seller requesting payment or personal information for an item without your having seen it in person first  
 
In the case of a suspect ad please ensure you have clicked on the "report" link on the ad, which ensures it can be addressed as soon as possible. These user reports go a long way towards making the site the most difficult environment possible for those with ill intent.  
 
Always sharpening the saw so to speak and the more that can be learned about any changes to those typical patterns, the better the opportunity to further optimize the system.  
 
Please also make sure that those you know are aware that purchases should not be committed to site-unseen by either side of the buyer-seller equation and that funds or personal information should not be exchanged site unseen. The more folks are educated on the more typical signs to spot, the more scammers are wasting their time. Brandon Police Service also published a series of helpful tips in a notice last year at:  
https://www.facebook.com/BrandonPolice/photos/a.1416332255261428/2924526164442022/?type=3&theater
 
thank you to all for their assistance in helping make our local classified ad marketplace the best place it can be for buyers and sellers alike for local buyers and sellers!