The Portuguese central bank has released several pieces of advice for consumers to sell and buy used items safely, without risking fraud.
At a time when scams, especially online, are increasingly common and sophisticated, the for users who use online platforms to buy and sell used items.
Since the most used payment solution on these platforms is MB WAY, there are details you should pay attention to to ensure “that transactions are carried out securely” and is not circumvented in this way.
The scam starts with an alleged buyer (the fraudster) who responds to your ad, accepting the price asked and without asking for much information about the item, “its location or delivery”. Then, “suggests to make payment with MB WAY and offers to help with the service“.
The Portuguese central bank then warns of two hypotheses: if the seller has MB WAY, one path is indicated, if not, another.
If not, the “comprador (scammer) suggests that join MB WAY at an ATM“. By joining, the fraudster “asks him to associate his cell phone numberconvincing him that he is only authorizing the transfer”, but in this way, the fraudster “You now have access to your bank account and can make withdrawals or send money to other accounts“.
If you have this payment service, the scammer “asks for your cell phone number to make payment”, but uses the MB WAY “Request money” functionality with the value of the price of the item to be purchased, instead of “Send money”.
“The victim receives an MB WAY notification to ‘Send money’. If, through distraction, they accept this request, instead of receiving the money from the sale, they will be sending money to the buyer’s account”, warns the banking entity.
How to protect yourself?
Banco de Portugal advises protect your datanot disclosing personal information or documents such as the citizen card, which avoid paying/sending articles in advancefavoring “face-to-face transactions or deliveries with cash on delivery”, and always being wary of strangers joining MB WAY.
Also should never follow “instructions from strangers in operations” bank accounts as they may be leading you to inadvertently transfer some amount.
If you are a victim of fraud, you must always report fraudulent situations “to the nearest criminal police body or the Public Prosecutor’s Office” and “save and hand over to the competent authorities all data relating to the fraudulent purchase/sale to file a complaint”.
