The Victoria Police Department says officers have arrested a man who was in possession of over $10,000 in fake currency he was using to buy trading cards and electronics on Facebook Marketplace.
On March 19, VicPD received a report from a person who had sold $1,500 worth of Pokemon cards to a man on Facebook Marketplace the day before. The seller told police that after the transaction, she realized the cash used to buy the cards was fake because the bills had an "odd texture, duplicate serial numbers, and removable holographic security features."
"The same man later tried to buy another $2,700 worth of Pokemon cards after the first transaction, and the seller agreed to do the second transaction with the police ready to arrest the suspect. One man was arrested and $10,200 in counterfeit currency was recovered. Police suspect there are other victims linked to this seller," noted a news release from VicPD.
Police say the man – who was using the name Lovedeep Dhillon – was targeting those selling trading cards and electronics, and they ask anyone who believes they were a target of this scam to come forward.
"If you encounter counterfeit bills, report details about the transaction and the person who gave you the bills to the police. For transactions requiring a large amount of cash, suggest to the seller that you meet at a secure location, such as a bank, to verify the bills. If you think you have been passed one of these counterfeit bills, call the E-Comm Report Desk at 250-995-7654," noted the release.
