A Dunedin woman scammed out of $2000 when attempting to sell a phone is warning others about the dangers of online marketplaces. She provided the potential buyer the contact details, only to later discover it was actually the original person. "I think that where you’re meeting up is really important because this guy walked into my home and I felt really invaded." This experience convinced her in future to always bring someone along with her when making large transactions with private individuals. These included insisting on meeting to conduct transactions and examining the item before completing the transaction.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 11, 2026 15:34 UTC