Hatchimals scam warning after Facebook fraudster tricks mum desperate to buy must-have toy for child
Mum-of-three, Anna Thompson, 34, was tricked into buying a Hatchimals toy that didn't exist
A MUM was tricked into handing over money to a scammer as she tried to purchase a Hatchimals toy for her child.
The must-have Christmas toy has sold out across the country - and now cruel fraudsters are cashing in on parents desperate to get their hands on one.
Mum-of-three Anna Thompson, 34, was tricked when she tried to get a Hatchimal for her child's birthday last week.
She told The Sun: "I put on a Facebook sale site for Hatchimals and asked if anyone knows where I can get one for my son.
"I got a message back from a woman saying she will sell me one at shop price as has two and only needs one.
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Anna paid £64.50 into her bank account and the seller told her that she would send proof of postage.
But it wasn't until she checked to see if she had been sent proof of postage than Anna realised something was wrong.
She said: "The day went on and nothing from her. Then she blocked me. I later found out she did same to other lady and same time as me, so we got chatting.
"I managed to get her full address and phone number off one of her friends."
Anna, from Wiltshire, contacted the woman about the Hatchimal, but when she heard nothing back she realised she had definitely been conned and decided to call the cops.
She added: "As we had nothing back I called bank, police and fraud and gave them everything I had about her. So they took it on to investigate."
They contacted the seller and then five days later I got my money back in my account.
"She told me to send Hatchimal back to her when we receive it. But she didn't even send one!"
Anna luckily got her money back, but says she has still been left disappointed because she still doesn't have the Hatchimal for her son.
She said: "I was very upset as I can't get hold of one. For a woman - a mother and grandmother- to scam other mothers who are trying to give their children what they want is disgusting."
Widow and mum-of-three Sarah Derbe Briggs was also conned when she tried to buy two Hatchimals, one for her daughter, who is three, and her friend's daughter.
She told The Sun Online: My friend's little girl wanted one for Christmas. She never asks for anything so I said 'I'll keep a look out for you'.
"I put out a wanted ad and some some lady messaged me with a link to a selling site. I messaged the said lady and she said 'I have two'.
"I said 'great, can I have both then please?' as thought second would be lovely present for my daughter's birthday for after Christmas.
"She gave me her account details and I paid £125 into her account. I asked if she could post that day and she said if she couldn't as she was at work.
"So later on that evening I messaged her and ask if she managed to post. I took my little girl to bed then later checked my message, she said yes."
But Sarah, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, was also left disappointed when she was blocked from the woman's account.
She added "I then realised she had blocked me - that's when I thought 'oh no!'. I was hoping and praying I hadn't been scammed - but next morning I had messages all over Facebook about same said lady.
"I reported to police and bank - I'm so very upset as I'm out of pocket by £125 now."
And the incident has put Sarah, 42, off social media, as she says she can't even get her money back from her bank.
She said: "I'm gutted as I'm a young widow with three children. I feel sick with worry now.
"To some people £125 isn't much, but to to me it's a lot. I was only looking for my dear friend's little girl then decided to get one for my daughter".
HOW TO AVOID GETTING SCAMMED ON FACEBOOK
Get Safe Online told us the best way to avoid scams is to use your instinct. Here are their top tips:
-If you’re buying something off a friend on Facebook, make sure you stop and think about how well you know them – can you really trust this person to deliver?
-If you’re not sure, you could always ask to meet to exchange. But if you do this, you should always make sure it’s in a public place
-Quite often if it sounds too good to be true it is – don’t let the mad rush stop you from thinking about who you’re giving your money to
-Double check to see if the website and product are legitimate before making a payment and look for any customer reviews that could help give the game away
-If you’re buying online using a credit card you can also protect yourself if the gift doesn’t show.
The scam is just one of many used by criminals in the run-up to Christmas.
Trading standards bosses recently warned customers to steer clear of cheap designer bargains on Facebook and Instagram, which they say are illegal and if electrical could be dangerous.
Tony Neat, CEO of Get Safe Online told The Sun: “It never fails to surprise me how shameless scammers can be this time of year, when people are trying to get hold of that perfect gift for loved ones.
"As parents we try our hardest to get hold of that must-have gift, but unfortunately, there are criminals that prey on crazes like Hatchimals. Encouraging you to shop out of your comfort zone, when the shops you usually go to can’t deliver.
“Sadly, losing money like this in the run up to Christmas is not uncommon, we have seen over the years the numbers go up, up and up. But, you should always be extra cautious when grabbing those deals on social media platforms like Facebook."
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