Scammers targeting Wagga residents on Facebook Marketplace

Coolamon's Kylie Tringrove is among those who have found themselves hundreds of dollars out of pocket after putting a lump-sum deposit down for an item they would never receive.

Mrs Tringrove and her husband have been searching for a place to move into for weeks but have been unlucky in securing somewhere to go, with landing a rental proving to be difficult.

When she was looking on one of Wagga's Facebook Marketplace pages, Mrs Tringrove found a post regarding a caravan that was being sold for $600.

Upon negotiation, given the amount of work the caravan seemed to need, Mrs Tringrove managed to have the price dropped to $500 but was asked to send the seller a $100 deposit to secure the item.

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"I sent the $100 through and took a screenshot of the deposit, then asked for pictures of tyres as they are stuffed," Mrs Tringrove said.

"No pictures were sent and I was given excuse after excuse."

Mrs Tringrove said the seller kept buying time, before asking for another $150 deposit to be put into her account.

According to Mrs Tringrove, the seller said if she made the second deposit she would drop the price of the caravan significantly.

"I told her that if I did it, I wanted the tyre pictures and VIN [vehicle identification number] and she said 'yes'," she said.

Mrs Tringrove said she made the second transaction and was then asked to wait a half hour.

"I waited half hour and then I asked again and again and got no reply," she said.

A short time later the seller blocked Mrs Tringrove on Facebook and the caravan listing was removed from the marketplace. Mrs Tringrove has not been able to get her money back at this stage.

It was a similar story for Marie Feller, who made a $250 deposit on a treadmill which was said to be up for sale locally for $500.

Ms Feller said sending money to a stranger digitally was not something she would normally do, however, the seller's Facebook profile had looked promising.

"I didn't get the money back, but I think the saddest part about it is I think their profiles are real," she said.

"They're not hiding behind a fake account, these are actually people with no shame and, in my case, that's why I was stupid enough to make a deposit, because how could someone with a presence in your community do something which would be so damaging to their reputation?"

Miss Feller was also blocked by the seller shortly after the cash transaction was made.

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