A Greymouth couple is $15,000 poorer after falling victim to an internet scam involving TradeMe.
The couple unsuccessfully bid on a car on TradeMe but were contacted soon after and told the deal had fallen through and that they could buy it after all, The Press reported.
Detective Sergeant Jackie Adams said they deposited $15,000 into what they thought was a Safetrader website and were then given a phone number of a Wellington mechanic, who supposedly had the car for pickup.
"When they discovered the mechanic didn't exist, they contacted Safetrader, who they believed to be safely holding their money, and found they didn't have an account," Ms Adams told the newspaper.
They tried to stop the transfer but their bank found it had gone to a Barclays Bank in Britain, who told them the money was gone.
The couple was "destroyed"; they had little money and had put everything into buying a new car needed for work.
The police held out little hope of retrieving any money as they were "chasing shadows", Ms Adams said.
NZPA