The “safe trading zone” outside a downtown police station is under video surveillance. Several more will be installed throughout 2020.

Montreal police announced on Wednesday they have established a “safe trading zone” that will allow those buying or selling goods via the internet to conclude their transactions in a secure environment.

Located at community Police Station 20 at 1432 Ste-Catherine St. W. near Bishop St., the zone is under video surveillance at a police installation that is open 24/7.

Distroscale

The downtown safe trading zone is the first of several that will be deployed over the course of 2020.

Montreal follows Terrebonne, Châteauguay and Sherbrooke in establishing the zones, and offers the following tips to those who intend carry out an online transaction with an individual they don’t know.

— Avoid doing business only over the phone or online (e.g. buying without ever seeing the goods).

— Make an appointment in a public place (e.g. safe trading zone).

— Take precautions to identify the seller.

— If an ad looks too good to be true, it’s probably a scam.

Anyone who may have been a victim of fraud is asked to go to their neighbourhood police station to file an official complaint.

A man was brutally assaulted last August in the city’s Villeray district after meeting two men to conclude the online sale of a cellphone.