MEMPHIS, TN -
(WMC TV) - MakeUpAlley.com is a legitimate web site where consumers can barter, trade or buy beauty products.
But like CraigsList, it is a networking site. You have to think of it as a global bulletin board, where anyone can post anything they want. The site's administrators provide a service of access, not security.
That means even legitimate networking sites can attract scam artists. U.S. postal inspectors are investigating a scam artist who used MakeUpAlley.com to prey on consumers.
The jig was up when post office manager Glenn Keller started receiving complaints from customers.
"I was receiving all these complaints from customers that they were dealing with someone in my (postal) zone," Keller said.
Each complaint was about the same person -- someone using MakeUpAlley.com to sell or trade items she would never deliver.
"The individual suspect would send empty packages to victims," said U.S. Postal Inspector Laura Carter. "Or the suspect would send items not as described."
The suspect, using a legitimate networking site, scammed 30 victims for $3,500, according to the investigation.
Even though networking sites like CraigList and MakeUpAlley are legitimate means of buying and selling products, it's still up to consumers to verify the buyer or seller. Establish their physical locations -- addresses, cities, states -- and if they are local, insist on meeting them in public places to make the transactions.
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