Plymouth Police Encourage Residents To Use Caution With Online Purchases

The Plymouth Police Department encourages residents to use caution with online purchasing sites such as Craigslist. The following list includes safety tips for residents:

• Arrange to meet in a public place, such as a coffee shop. Never agree to meet a stranger in a parking lot. Refuse to do business if you do not feel safe with the meeting location.
• Avoid bringing cash to make a purchase, especially for a big-ticket item. Ask the seller if he or she will take a cashier’s check or meet at your bank to conduct the transaction.
• Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable while making a transaction, leave.
• Think about whether the deal is “too good to be true.” If the price is unusually low, the item may have been stolen or broken, or the situation might be a set up.
• Never go alone. Most thieves want victims to be alone. Bring a friend to deter crime.
• Get as much information as you can about the other person before meeting. At the very minimum, search the person’s name on Google.
• Always tell someone where you are going; provide him or her with the location, date and time, as well as any phone number associated with the sale.

For emergencies or to report suspicious activity, call 911. For more information, call the 24-hour non-emergency number at 763-525-6210.