ADVICE has been issued to residents following a number of reports involving a fake bank transfer app.

Thames Valley Police said over the past few months there were various incidents about an app that creates an image, showing the transfer has been made.

And offenders have targeted vulnerable individuals, including the elderly.

The TVP team said shopping online can save time and effort, giving you a wide choice of items worldwide.

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But while most buyers and sellers are genuine, fraudsters use online shopping to scam individuals.

Thames Valley Police said scammers hide their identity and target many victims at the same time.

And selling sites including Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Gumtree have reported incidents to the TVP team of offenders using an app to pretend to pay for items they have agreed to purchase.

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Here's TVP's following advice for selling online:

  • Make sure you receive payment confirmation before sending goods.
  • Check your account online or ask your bank to make sure cleared funds have been received.
  • Take pictures of items before posting them so you have proof of condition in case of a fraudulent claim.