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OfferUp Online Wire Fraud

OfferUp Online Wire Fraud

February 7, 2017

OfferUp is a “simpler way to buy and sell locally”, this convenient shopping app has been downloaded more than 12 million times (2015), ranking close to the 51st most-downloaded app, and with those numbers climbing, so are the odds of users becoming victims of wire fraud.

Recently an Oakland woman became that victim of an online wire fraud while using the mobile app OfferUp.

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A Bloomfield Township woman was the apparent victim of fraud after attempting to sell a piece of furniture using the mobile app OfferUp. A user contacted her offering her a check for $1,270. The woman was instructed to keep $300 for the furniture and wire the other $970 to Georgia to cover shipping.

The bank later notified the victim that the check was fraudulent, and none of the funds had been transferred. Police noted scams involving fraudulent checks and third-party money transfers are common.

According to Forbes.com, OfferUp cofounders Huzar and Arean van Veelen have raised $90 million in financing and enabled more than $2.9 billion-worth of goods to be transacted in 2015 year alone. This top selling app is booming, but what out for those fraudsters waiting for you to take the bait to wire money to a fraudulent account.

For tips on how to prevent fraud on the popular mobile app OfferUp, visit this article on www.tred.com.

Are you a victim of fraud or money scam? Share your story with us on the Money Credit and You Facebook page!

Original article published on www.theoaklandpress.com.