NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Police now have one individual in custody and are in search of several more individuals believed to be responsible for a slew of “too good to be true” cyber schemes ran through the Facebook Marketplace, according to Chief Superintendent Anton Rahming, officer in charge of the Criminal Investigations Department.
The scams in question lure victims in with rental properties and car sales priced at a rate often, “too good to be true.” The alleged scammers, after catching the attention of their victims, would take the conversations to WhatsApp, where they would respond to questions about the vehicle or property listed but then request down payments/deposits before individuals are able to see the actual properties or cars purported to be for sale.
A number of the scammers have been hiding behind fake Facebook accounts some of which use images and names of real-life Bahamians or suspected foreigners.
When asked about the origin of these crimes, Chief Rahming said investigations have led officers to believe that these crimes are all being operated right in the country.
He encouraged individuals searching for vehicles and or apartments through Facebook platforms to be cautious and stressed that, “if the offer seems too good to be true, it usually is.”
