Mammoth PD Safe Trade Station Initiative
Submitted by Mammoth Police Department
Mammoth Lakes, CA – The Mammoth Lakes Police Department announced today that it has joined the SafeTrade initiative for safer completion of online transactions. SafeTrade is a simple program for police departments to encourage transactions at their facilities, for classified sites to strengthen their safety and security initiatives, and for users to insist on “SafeTrade” by conducting their transactions at a local police office.
Citizens may use the Mammoth Lakes Police Department’s lobby during business hours (Monday through Thursday from 8 AM to 5 PM) and the parking lot directly in front of the building to conduct transactions under camera surveillance. Mammoth Lakes Police Department officers and personnel do not get involved in, enforce, guarantee, or become a party in any way to the transactions of the individuals trading. Under no circumstances may someone conduct a transaction involving the sale of any weapon, medications, or any illegal items at the police department.
There are a few ways you can ensure your transaction is a positive one:
– Ask for and accept cash only. Never accept checks, money orders or money wires as these are commonly associated with fraud.
– Be cautious when buying or selling high value items.
– Ask questions. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
– Never give out your address or invite a buyer to your home.
– Meet in a well-lit public place and let someone know where you are going. Buyers or sellers should reconsider conducting business with anyone who refuses to meet near a police station.
A SafeTrade sign has been placed in the front window of the Mammoth Lakes Police Department to be a reminder of the emphasis on providing the station as a safe environment for citizens involved in online transactions.