ONLINE classified advert website Gumtree has issued a warning to users after a man was convicted of using fake cash in a deal for a car he had seen listed on the platform.
Toby Roberts, 26 and of Tyrrell Gardens, Bournemouth, handed over £400 in counterfeit £20 notes for a Land Rover.
The seller of the vehicle became concerns about the cash after Roberts had left with the car.
He contacted police and the Bank of England later confirmed the money was fake.
A spokesperson from Gumtree told the Daily Echo: “At Gumtree, we take fraud extremely seriously. We work closely with law enforcement to keep our community safe, and are pleased to see that justice has been brought in this case.
“We strongly encourage anyone who has any doubts or suspicions about a sale to walk away and report it to us immediately through the “Report” button listed next to all ads. Our dedicated trust and safety team will then investigate and take necessary action, such as blocking the offender or working with law enforcement on their investigations.
“We list prominent safety advice on our site and encourage all users to visit our Help Desk at help.gumtree.com where they can learn more about buying and selling safely on our platform.”
As reported, Roberts pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to a charge of passing counterfeit currency and was jailed for 16 months at a Bournemouth Crown Court hearing on January 27.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel