A man who fell victim to fraud while purchasing fuel online reported to officers at the Police Station in Nowogrodziec.

The man found an offer to sell pellet online. He decided to buy two pallets. After placing the order, he received confirmation in his email inbox, along with the details needed to make the transfer.

He paid more than PLN 3,500 for the ordered goods.

However, the pellet was not delivered.

At first, they blamed the delay

The buyer waited for the ordered fuel for about a month. When he tried to contact the seller, he was told that the delay was allegedly caused by the large number of orders.

Later, the man was informed that his order had been cancelled and that the money he had paid would be returned to his account.

However, that did not happen.

Further attempts to contact the seller were unsuccessful. The telephone number provided as a contact number stopped answering, and the buyer received neither the pellet nor a refund.

Police officers are investigating the case.

Police warn against buying fuel online

As the heating season approaches, interest in buying fuel, including pellet, is growing. Police officers urge people to carefully check the seller before making a transfer.

Particular caution should be exercised with offers in which the price of the fuel differs significantly from market prices.

An attractive price and a professionally designed website alone do not guarantee that the seller is honest.

How can you avoid being scammed?

Police officers recommend that, before making a purchase, you should:

  • check the company’s details, address and reviews from other customers;
  • verify how long the store has been operating and whether the contact details provided are correct;
  • exercise caution when fuel prices are exceptionally attractive;
  • do not rely solely on the appearance of the website;
  • check the bank account number to which the transfer is to be made;
  • whenever possible, choose payment on delivery or other secure payment methods;
  • keep correspondence with the seller, the order confirmation and proof of payment.