SHOPPERS and bargain hunters in the Borders are being urged by Scottish cyber security chiefs to be wary of scammers on a classified sales website.

Users of the website Gumtree are being alerted by the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC), after becoming aware of a spate of incidences involving one particular confidence trick - seeking to play on the kindness of others.

An SBRC expert on cyber crime, Gerry Grant, said: “Gumtree offers a fast and convenient way to buy and sell unwanted or second-and products, which has become a go to for those looking to make money from their unused possessions.

“While the vast majority of buyers and sellers on the site are legitimate we urge people to think carefully before agreeing on unconventional payment methods or trades.”

A scam currently seeing a rise in popularity on the site comes from supposed ‘buyers’ who claim to have problems sorting a courier – and ask sellers to front up costs that will be compensated in a PayPal payment.

The ‘buyer’ will then claim to have made the payment through the recognised site and send a fraudulent email confirming this. Sellers are then asked to make a payment to couriers, through a third party site such as Moneygram or Western Union that has, according to the scammer, been accounted for in the PayPal payment.

However, no such payment has been made and any money transferred makes its way to the scammers.

Gerry added: “When processing any payments or services online it is important for businesses and individuals to exercise reasonable caution.

“As ever, if you find something suspicious, ask for further confirmation and only proceed if you are sure that confirmation and guarantees are genuine.

“One of the things that make these kinds of sites and services so useful is the ability to connect you with many people interested in buying what you’re selling. It’s better to wait for a genuine buyer than risk being ripped-off just to expedite the process.”

The advice comes shortly after SBRC announced a record uptake for their Ethical Hackers scheme, which seeks to educate businesses and individuals on the dangers and pitfalls of running social media accounts.

For more information visit: http://help.gumtree.com/articles/General_Information/Is-it- a-scam-the- top-warning- signs?allfaqs=false.