Police warn internet scammers on the rise during spell of fine weather

Fraudsters using fake profiles to lure victims with ‘too good to be true’ offers

Police are urging people to be on their guard for 'too good to be true' offers popping up on Facebook and local selling sites.

A common example has been listings pretending to offer garden furniture for sale, especially during the prolonged spell of good weather.

Anybody who comes across one of these advertisements and is suspicious is urged to check the seller and their profile thoroughly and share with those who are vulnerable.

Also never pay a deposit to someone you don't know or trust.

Red flags to watch out for include sellers using a new account opened just days before, sellers with no mutual Facebook friends, very few friends or none at all.

The scammers often use stolen profile pictures, offer goods at unrealistic prices and ask for a deposit up front.

In the case of stolen profile pictures a reverse search on Google can help and show where the image has been used.

If you spot a scam or believe you have come across a suspicious seller you can report it directly to the Cyber Security Centre for the Isle of Man here.