Police Open Lobbies for Safer Online Transactions

Days after a Brooklyn man was robbed at gunpoint when he met a stranger to close a deal begun on Facebook to buy a car, Anne Arundel County Police have announced an effort to prevent similar abuses.

The department said Friday it shares the increasing concern associated with conducting online classified transactions. Sites such as Craigslist, online yard sales on Facebook, and Oodle are just a few sites that often require transactions to be completed in person.

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Police say these meet-ups offer a chance for criminals to take advantage of law-abiding citizens. So the department is offering five facilities as a “Transaction Safe Place” where buyers and sellers can meet and conduct their transaction, either in the parking lot or lobby.

Locations and times they are open:

• Police Headquarters, 8495 Veterans Highway in Millersville; open Monday-Friday from 8 am-4 pm
• Northern District office, 939 Hammonds Lane in Baltimore; open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Eastern District office, 204 Pasadena Road in Pasadena; open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Western District office, 8273 Telegraph Road in Odenton; open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Southern District office, 35 Stepneys Lane in Edgewater; open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Annapolis Safe Place for Online Sales

In June, the Annapolis Police Department announced its Transaction Safe Place program to ensure the safety of residents completing online sales. The parties meet in the police department’s parking lot or lobby to handle their transactions.

To ensure the transactions do not involve stolen merchandise, residents may check the item at the APD lobby, 199 Taylor Ave., and request that an officer check the item’s serial number against national databases.

Safety Tips

Additional safety tips for those conducting a transaction with an unknown buyer include:

• Only accept cash or a cashier’s check for sale. Personal checks carry some risk.
• Conduct sales during weekdays so banking or financial institutions can be contacted if there is a problem.
• Don’t go alone and trust your instincts.