A Cascade Township woman was swindled out of $1,000 after falling prey to a fake car for sale ad on Craigslist.
The woman reported the theft about noon Monday to the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office. She told deputies that she was attempting to buy a 2009 Toyota Corolla from a seller on Craigslist for $1,000. The supposed seller asked to be paid in eBay gift cards.
The woman bought five $200 gift cards and sent the details of the cards to the "seller." The scammer then asked for an additional $1,000 in gift cards for insurance. It is at that point the Cascade Township woman stopped the interaction, fearing she had fallen victim to a scam.
The supposed seller said they were part of the eBay Motors Purchase Protection program but eBay warns that the "Purchase Protection covers only certain vehicle transactions that are completed ON eBay.com. If a Craigslist or non-eBay seller 'promises' you the eBay protection plan, this is fraud and you should walk away."
