OWEN SOUND, Ont. -- A Meaford, Ont., man's attempt to buy an iPhone on Kijiji was a washout when he ended up paying $275 for a bar of soap.

Grey County OPP issued a news release about the scam to remind people to be cautious about online shopping.

The victim bought the phone in November, paid by e-mail money transfer, but didn't receive the phone from the private seller in the Kingston, Ont., area.

He called the seller to ask about the phone and was given a line about a friend's mother being ill, police said.

When a parcel arrived, it contained a bar of soap.

The fraud was reported to Grey County OPP Tuesday and forwarded to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Fraud centre spokesman Daniel Williams said people should only pay by credit card if possible. Credit card companies are better able to get money back, he said.

E-mail money transfers are an emerging payment method favoured by scammers, Williams said.