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Cape Town - Despite the increasing protection for online trades, scammers are still hard at work trying to steal your cash.
Fin24 users responded to an article about online safety when conducting transactions via classifieds platforms.
Wynand Bosch shared his experience as he tried to buy an iPad online.
"About three years ago I responded to an OLX ad, for a new iPad, which was about R2 000 cheaper than available in the stores," he said.
"After I paid electronically (everything did looks the same as a normal other site) I battled to get feedback and realised that I was scammed.
"I reported it immediately at that stage to OLX and their response was sort of ignorant and that they try their best to make the site 'safe'.
"I accepted my loss, but still feel it happened to easily!
"I decided at that stage, this was the last time in my life I will make use of OLX."
And he's not the only one.
* Have you been scammed online? Tell us your story now.
Fin24 user Andre du Preez said that he bought a car with fraudulent documentation.
"I have been scammed with a car. Bought it, done all the papers, tests etc. Four months later I got a call from the police that it's a cloned car.
"I lost R180 000 and asked for Gumtree to send me the ad so I can give it to the police. Still waiting for them, six months later," he wrote.
Other users are far more cynical about the help that online classifieds providers promise.
Despite not revealing exactly how he was scammed, Fin24 user Andre Erasmus argues that you have to be extra careful when trading online.
"Sadly the information in your article is worthless as neither the Classified Site nor the SAPS will take any steps.
"After a few months you just get a letter from the SAPS stating that there are no more leads in the case and they are closing it.
"That's despite having the bank account and contact details of the criminals.
"And the same scams went on for months afterward - with the same contact numbers, but still the cops did nothing," lamented Erasmus.
"Bottom line is that we have to be careful to protect ourselves."
