Facebook Marketplace sale goes wrong, $2K bracelet stolen
For years, Olga Edwards says she’s used Facebook Marketplace to buy and sell hundreds of jewelry items— building a trusted side business right from her home.
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A sale on Facebook Marketplace took a dangerous turn for one local woman after a routine transaction ended with her jewelry gone and no payment in hand.
For years, Olga Edwards says she’s used Facebook Marketplace to buy and sell hundreds of jewelry items— building a trusted side business right from her home.
That trust was broken on Feb. 12. Edwards has been searching for help since that day.
“She tried to buy my 18 karat gold ring, which cost $650," said Edwards. "On the way to the meeting, she was asking to buy 14 karat gold bracelets.”
After messaging with a potential buyer, whose profile showed a woman named Maria Alexa, they agreed on a price and set a time for pickup the same day.
But when the person arrived at Edwards' home, she immediately felt something was off.
Instead of the woman she thought was messaging, two men who she says looked about 25 years old, arrived in a gray Volkswagen.
“I showed him the ring,” said Edwards. “He examined the ring, and then I took my ring back. Then I give him 14 karat gold bracelets. He looked at the bracelet, and then the driver just sped off. They stole my bracelet.”
Time stamps on Ring camera video, which caught Edwards and her husband walking to the car and returning in shock, show it only took about two minutes for the thieves to get away with the $2,200 bracelet.
“I was in stress and shock,” said Edwards. “I couldn't even imagine what happened. I had almost 100% successful sales, and I wasn't expecting that could happen to me.”
To avoid situations like this, the NYPD strongly encourages the use of E-commerce Exchange Zones. They are safe, well-lit, surveilled locations at every precinct, transit district and housing police area.
Just last week, a 15-year-old boy was shot in the neck while chasing after a robber who stole his jacket during a botched clothing sale in Bensonhurst.
While Edwards is grateful that things did not escalate to that, it’s still a hard lesson to learn.
Police are still searching for the suspects.
