By Belize Live News Staff: A Belize City man claims he was scammed out of $1,000 while trying to buy an iPhone 13 Pro Max through a social media marketplace.
According to police reports, the victim, identified as Garbutt, came across a Facebook post advertising the phone for sale at $1,000 BZD. He contacted the seller, who went by the name “Scarelet Junior” on Facebook Messenger, and agreed to purchase the phone.
The seller provided Atlantic Bank account details for the payment, but the account name did not match the seller’s identity. Despite this red flag, Garbutt proceeded with the transaction with the help of his girlfriend, who completed the bank transfer and sent him a screenshot of the payment confirmation.
Garbutt shared the screenshot with the seller, expecting delivery of the device through Belize Package and Mailing Service (BPMS). However, on March 7, Scarelet informed him that the shipment could not be completed and began offering a string of excuses.
Since then, communication has deteriorated, and neither the phone nor a refund has been received. Police have launched an investigation into the matter and are collaborating with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to trace the transaction and identify the individuals involved.
Officials continue to caution the public to exercise extreme caution when conducting transactions through social media platforms and to verify the legitimacy of online sellers before sending money.
