How Do I Report Issues to the Police if I’ve Been Defrauded?

 
At Kijiji, we do our best to keep our site clean and safe for all users, however, since we don't vet people before they use the site, transactions are between the buying and selling party. When we get reports of illegal, fraudulent, or just downright creepy activity on the site, we do our best to remove the offenders from using Kijiji further, but we can’t bring justice or put offenders in jail that way. To ensure that justice is brought about, police have to be involved.

Whether you’ve been defrauded by someone or you think you’ve discovered stolen goods, we recommend that you always contact your local police to report the incident and get a reference number. If the police take the matter further, the investigating police officer will contact us. We’ll do all we can to provide the police with any information that assists their investigation.

Can’t Kijiji report the incident to police for me?
Unfortunately not – when police file a report, they need to list a victim, so they need to deal with you directly. We can’t provide the first person account of the facts of the case and a victim statement on your behalf. However, we are happy to help the police corroborate the facts and track down the others involved when it is in our power to do so.

What to do before you go to the police
If you did receive an item but things did not work out as planned, always try contacting the seller directly one more time to resolve your problem. If everyone went into the transaction with good intentions, you may be able to resolve the issue without outside assistance.

Is it a crime?
If you report your case to the police, they’ll decide if it should be investigated as a crime or civil dispute. If the police feel that your case doesn’t involve a criminal intent by the other party, it’s possible that they may advise you to take civil action to recover your losses. This will be handled by a small claims court. For this, you’ll need to know the name and address of the other party. A police officer will be able to help you with this process.

How do I make a police report?
The simplest way is to go to your local police station or call the local police operator on a non-emergency number. In most cases, your report can be taken by telephone and followed up later.

How should the police contact Kijiji?
The police should create a ticket with us under the topic “Report > Law Enforcement (Police Only)” and we will be in touch shortly thereafter.

What evidence do I need?
The police may need these from you:
  • Essential details such as the nature, date and time of the offence, and the name and contact details of the victim and suspect(s)
  • Any email exchanges between you and other person
  • If relevant, the ad reference number or a printed copy of the ad on Kijiji.
 
Was this information helpful?