Learn Where Fraudsters are Selling Stolen Goods Online

When selling stolen goods criminals tend to sell locally and normally within 30 miles of their theft. When trying to receive easy cash criminals tend to use pawnbrokers and Internet auction sites. A common process that’s used is called E-fencing when selling items online. A “fence” is an “individual who knowingly buys stolen property for later resale,” and thanks to sites, like eBay, the fencing world is electronic and accessible all over the world.

A lot of criminals steal in-demand items from retailers, in which they then sell online; because of the anonymity in the online market it makes sales safer. Some of them even take pre-orders of certain objects. With some criminals having a high enough confidence, they’re able to steal vehicles and sell them on online markets. For example, this 1999 Volvo s70 is found on a website (stolen911.com) where it’s labeled stolen, last seen in California. On another website, with the same location and same picture, it’s listed as an item that’s for sale. The Volvo is being sold on a website (caricle.com) that serves as a backdoor Craigslist, specifically used for selling and buying used cars. As a result of the cars being labeled as use the buyers don’t question as to whether the cars are stolen.

When it comes to stolen jewelry, the biggest online marketplace in which criminals turn to is cash4gold.com. At this website they are able to sell any type of jewelry, for easy cash, in which is then turned into an unrecognizable liquid. Some of criminals tend to only target the items which are accepted by the website. By selling the stolen merchandise, they’re able to receive easy cash and to get rid of their chances of being caught.

For selling electronics, like iPhones, many thieves turn to eBay. At this website they are able to focus on people who can offer them the best price. The focus, for most criminals, is getting the stolen merchandise out of their hands. And as a result, they knock down the price low enough to make people believe that they got a good deal. Many buyers believe that their chances of buying a stolen item has reduced, because of the activation lock feature on the Apple’s iCloud “Find My iPhone.” When selling stolen iPhones many criminals include, in the description box, that the iCloud is locked giving no indication of them working on fixing it. When selling stolen merchandise, criminals are known for putting up fake reviews so as to get more people to buy their product.

There are various ways in which you can prevent yourself from becoming a victim of this cycle. One way is to review the five-star ratings, which some sellers have admitted to posting fake ratings. In reducing your risk of becoming a victim, be skeptical of the reviews that lack detail or are two positive. Another way is being mindful of the price. By focusing on these two ways, as well as others, you will help yourself by not falling into the crime cycle of online stolen goods. Saving yourself jail time and from multiple charges.

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