Safety tips
Buying and selling between neighbours is simple and safe once you know the few scams going around. Here is how to spot them.
Good habits
- Meet in a busy public place, in daylight: the parking lot of a store, a police station or a town hall. Bring someone along for valuable items.
- Pay or get paid at the time of the exchange, in cash or by Interac e-Transfer sent in front of you. Never in advance, never a deposit.
- Check the item before paying: turn it on, try it, check a bike’s serial number or a vehicle’s VIN.
- Keep your conversations in PubLocal’s messaging: that is the only place where our team can help you.
- Be wary of a deal that is too good, of someone in a hurry, or of someone who refuses to meet.
The most common scams
a request for a code received by text
The person wants to “check that you are real” and asks for the code you are about to receive by text. That code is actually used to take over your WhatsApp, Facebook or email account.
Never give out a code received by text or email, even to “verify” your identity.
a request for payment before seeing the item
You are asked for a deposit to “hold” the item, or for a payment before any meeting. The item often does not exist.
Never pay before seeing the item in person.
an overpayment to refund
The buyer pays more than the price (cheque, transfer) and asks you to refund the difference. The first payment is cancelled a few days later.
Never refund an “overpayment”: the first payment will be cancelled.
a fake courier or a fake delivery
The buyer is “abroad” or “at work” and sends a courier; you receive a fake payment email asking for fees or your personal information.
Sell in person: no courier pays on your behalf, and “payment received” emails can be fake.
a link to a fake payment or sign-in page
A link leads to a fake Interac, Canada Post or PubLocal page that asks for your credit card, your banking information or your password.
Don’t open this link and never enter your banking information or your password there.
an invitation to continue somewhere other than PubLocal
From the very first message, you are asked to continue on WhatsApp, Telegram or by email, away from any moderation.
Stay in PubLocal’s messaging: the team cannot help you anywhere else.
a request for personal information
You are asked for your social insurance number, banking information or passwords. Nobody needs them to buy or sell.
Never give out your social insurance number, your banking information or your passwords.
someone pretending to be someone else
Someone claims to be PubLocal, your bank, Interac, Canada Post or the police. These organizations never write to you in a listing’s messages.
PubLocal, Interac, banks and Canada Post never write to you in these messages.
PubLocal’s anti-scam shield
Messages you receive are checked automatically, by artificial intelligence, to spot these scams. If a message looks like one, a warning appears under it, only for the person who receives it; the message is never blocked. When the risk is high, our team is also notified. A normal message triggers nothing.
Think you are the victim of fraud?
Report the conversation from the messages, contact your bank right away if you paid or gave out information, then report the fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1 888 495-8501, antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca) and to your municipality’s police service.