Ottawa Police encourage use of Safe Trade Zones for online buy and sell

Online purchasing and selling is on the rise, but so are scams. The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) reports there is a high risk of theft and robberies that can occur during individual transactions.

To help prevent these crimes from occurring, and to establish safety for buyers and sellers, OPS has designated parking spots “designed to support safety when completing trades stemming from online marketplaces and websites or any other type of personal sales,” according to its website.

Safe trade locations are located at the Elgin Street police station (466 Metcalfe St.), the Kanata police station (211 Huntmar Dr.), and the Orleans police station (3343 St-Joseph Blvd). Safe trade locations are marked with a blue logo in these locations.

But despite their presence at police station, OPS reminds the public that these spaces are not police monitored and police are not responsible for mediating the use of these spaces. Instead the spaces are designed to move transactions away from secluded parking lots or private residences.

Other safety tips

• Check if the person you are speaking to has a public online profile to verify identity;
• Don’t invite the other party to your home to complete the trade;
• When meeting for a trade, consider bringing a friend and always meet in a public place with extensive lighting and video surveillance;
• Meet during daylight hours;
• Be cautious of last minute changes to location;
• Avoid vacant parking lots or properties when you meet with the other party.