NYPD e-commerce zones allow for safe exchange of online purchases, especially during holidays
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- The NYPD is reminding people to be careful when making purchases online, especially during the holidays, and has set up safe zones at 77 precincts around the city to allow people to make exchanges safely.
Police want to prevent people from being scammed, like a 34-year-old man who was robbed of $80,000 cash. Police say instead of having two high-end watches posted for sale online, three men showed up with guns, and another with pepper spray, then robbed the victim and took off with the cash in a white four-door sedan.
"When you do these transactions, don't bring a lot of money. Use a money app," said NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Community Affairs Mark Stewart.
As New Yorkers are counting down to Christmas Day and looking for the perfect gifts, the NYPD is reminding people to think smart and play it safe.
"We have this year round, but we know it's the holiday season and people might be buying or selling more," Stewart said.
The e-commerce exchange zone sign at the 28th Precinct is all over city, in all five boroughs, at all 77 NYPD precincts, 12 transit districts and nine housing PSA's.
Some people may not want to go inside of the precinct, but they don't have to. There's a live feed to the desk sergeant, where they can monitor the transaction in real time if something happens, and the video is also being recorded.
"It's happened all around the city. Areas - people like to meet in parking lots," Stewart said. "They like to meet in the streets and desolate areas. And those are people who have no good intentions. We want to make sure if there's a buyer and the seller, if they don't want to meet you at the precinct, then maybe that's a transaction you shouldn't do."
Last year, an off-duty NYPD officer was killed during a fake online meet up to buy a minivan. In May 2022, a 20-year-old man was shot multiple times in the face and died during a meet up for the fake online sale of two motorcycles.
"This is the camera right on top of the precinct," Stewart said. "And this camera will be watching this area where a transaction is going to happen."
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