A 16-year old Loganville , GA ( Gwinnett Co) teen is recovering from a sneaker deal gone bad. Nicole Carr made a deal with another teen she met at a party. Trusting the teen, Carr used Offer Up, a website where individuals buy and sell items, to broker the deal.
Carr recalls negotiating the price of the Jordan VI. “Originally, she wanted $180, but I talked her down to $140”, the victim said. After agreeing on the price, the 17-year old girl agreed to meet in Carr’s neighborhood around 8 p.m.
When a white Dodge Charger with allegedly 3 adult males arrived and did a U-turn, Carr knew something was wrong. Two of them snatched the teen’s cash . While fleeing the robbery, the trio ran over Carr and her dog
Noting that the girl wasn’t in the car, the victim’s mother , Betty Murray , states “She set it up, and they robbed her and did some things that could have cost her her life”.
According to WSB-TV 2, the mother has taken key evidence of the Gwinnett County police in hopes that the 17-year old will reveal the identities of the suspects.
It’s really sad that a simple transaction went wrong, but it shows us that no one can be trusted. If you are going to buy, sell , trade or meet up for anything, take precaution. I am a firm believer in Ebay. It doesn’t require your physical presence and Paypal protects you with fraud. Tradesy is another great platform I use to cop and sell things.
Here are some other great tips for safe buying/selling:
– If you insist on in-person transactions, meet at a public place with great lighting. I recommend the police station or somewhere where the police presence is heavy and/or noted.
– Bring someone with you, preferably an adult male.
– Only take the cash you need to purchase the goods. This limits your cash liability.
– Always use good judgment. If the deal seems shady or too good to be true, it probably is.
– I also suggest that before you meet up, you leave the seller’s or buyer’s information with a third party. There are apps that allow you to trace information by using phone numbers. You can also Skype, Glide, or FaceTime the seller or buyer. This gives you an opportunity to place a face with a person. Screenshot the person’s face. It seems like a lot, but your safety is at risk . Nothing is too much when it comes to protecting yourself.
-Niko Rose
