Buyer/Seller Safety Tips

The TimminsVoice.com wants to ensure that this site is an enjoyable experience for everyone.  We want individuals using our site to act responsibly with respect to buying, selling, renting or connecting with others.  There are people, however, that will attempt to scam or defraud others.   The TimminsVoice.com recommends that users exercise the necessary caution with any transactions.  The following tips are provided solely to promote awareness and do not imply any liabilibity of any kind placed with the TimminsVoice.com

1. Use common sense before entering into a transaction.

• Never give out personal or financial information
• Trust your gut and instincts
• Transact locally
• Never wire funds to distant participants via any money wiring service
• Always do your own research prior to making a decision to buy
• Caveat Emptor - Latin for "Let the buyer beware."

2. If you suspect a scam, notify any or all of the following:

• The TimminsVoice.com – Contact Us
• PhoneBusters hotline: 888-495-8501   Visit the PhoneBusters website for scam alerts.
• Reporting Economic Crime online at www.recol.ca or call 1-800-495-8501

3. A few examples, intended to promote awareness, of some typical online scams and fraud:

• It sounds too good to be true – trust your gut!
• Pay to play scam – this requires that you need to send money first to receive a prize, pay shipping or delivery costs or fees up front in order to receive the item. Sometimes they will even send a courier to pick up the money!
• You are required to provide your financial information - this may be s scam
• The seller is not local or is located an unusually great distance away - this could be a scam
• The seller being more excited than you the buyer may be cause for concern
• An official or manager scam – the sellers claims to be a manager or government official and proceeds to ask you a number of personal questions
• Phishing or brand spoofing scams – attempts by fraudsters to get your personal passwords or financial information. For more info see here ( http://www.phonebusters.com/english/recognizeit_phishingemails.html)
• 900 number Scams ( http://www.phonebusters.com/english/recognizeit_900.html)
• Advanced Fee Letter Fraud (419 / West African / Nigerian Letters) ( http://www.phonebusters.com/english/recognizeit_advfeefraud.html)
• Advanced Fee Loan scams  (http://www.phonebusters.com/english/recognizeit_advfee.html)
• Cheque Overpayment Fraud (http://www.phonebusters.com/english/recognizeit_advfeefraudover.html)
• Pyramid Scheme scams – ( http://www.phonebusters.com/english/recognizeit_pyramid.html)

4. If you suspect that your personal information has been hijacked and misappropriated to commit fraud or theft, take action immediately and keep a record of your conversations and correspondence. The following basic actions are appropriate in almost every case.

• Start a log of dates, person(s) that you spoke with and exactly what they said.
• Contact the fraud departments of each of the two major credit bureaus.
• Equifax: (800) 465-7166 and
• Trans Union: (877) 525-3823 except
• Quebec residents (877) 713-3393
• Request that a 'Fraud Alert' be placed in your files. At the same time order copies of your credit reports.
• Contact the fraud department of creditors for any accounts that have been opened or tampered with fraudulently. This may include credit card companies, phone companies, banks and other lenders.
• File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place.
• Contact Phonebusters National Call Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

Phonebusters is currently central sourcing all pertinent information on Identity Theft to identify trends and patterns, information is also used to assist law enforcement agencies in possible investigations.

If you have any other security questions that aren't answered above, then please contact us.