Police set up ‘e-commerce safe zone’ at headquarters

Daniel Kittredge
Posted 10/8/15

Cranston police are offering a new tool meant to keep consumers safe when conducting online transactions.

The lobby and parking lot of the department’s 5 Garfield Ave. headquarters have been …

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Police set up ‘e-commerce safe zone’ at headquarters

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Cranston police are offering a new tool meant to keep consumers safe when conducting online transactions.

The lobby and parking lot of the department’s 5 Garfield Ave. headquarters have been designated as an “e-commerce safe zone,” Chief of Police Col. Michael Winquist announced last week.

Buyers and sellers of transactions arranged through online marketplaces are being encouraged to conduct transfers of merchandise within the safe zone, which will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and monitored by recorded video.

According to a release from the department, the initiative is being launched after a pair of recent incidents in which individuals reported being robbed of merchandise after meeting a potential buyer online. Feedback received through the department’s Facebook page also helped spur the effort, the release states.

“The goal … is to prevent crimes that could potentially occur when individuals engage in online transactions with strangers,” the release reads.

Those utilizing the safe zone are not required to notify police prior to arranging a meeting, nor is any check-in required upon arrival.

“Officers have been made aware of the designated e-commerce safety zone and will not be actively monitoring transactions or mediating civil disputes,” the release states.

Police are also offering a number of safety tips for those completing online transactions. Residents are advised to do business with local buyers and sellers; not to engage in a transaction alone; to ensure a third party is aware of the details of the transaction; to use a public space or the safe zone to conduct any transaction; to complete transactions during daylight hours; to accept only cash or money orders; and to “trust your instincts.”

“If it sounds like a scam it probably is,” the release states.

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