Tech-savvy scammers are selling fake smartphones to unsuspecting buyers, according to North Vancouver RCMP.
Authorities say this is a new trend where fraudsters are selling smartphones that look convincingly like the real things.
"These phones are extremely realistic looking," said Cpl. Alex Bojic. "They often come vacuum sealed in what appears to be authentic packaging, complete with a bar code from a local business and a matching receipt."
Bojic said the buyer would open the package and see all the accessories and manuals, adding the phone even powers up.
"It's only after the buyer takes the phone home and starts opening individual settings and applications that they realize something is up," he said.
Mounties said another risk of purchasing a smart phone from a private seller is the possibility that seller has pre-loaded the phone with malware to steal the buyer's data.
They advise the best strategy to prevent becoming a fraud victim is to buy from a trusted retailer.
Authorities encourage those who believe they've fallen victim to online shopping fraud to contact local police, report the scam to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and report the crime to the site they're using.
So far this year, North Vancouver RCMP have confiscated at least 15 counterfeit smartphones.
