Man scammed $10,000 on fake Rolex watch: Burnaby RCMP

Burnaby RCMP are warning people to take care when buying things online, after a Burnaby man paid $10,000 for a fake luxury watch.

Police say the man found the watch in November on Craigslist, advertised as a Rolex brand watch. According to police, the seller said it came with a “receipt and certificate of authenticity.”

The buyer then bought the watch for thousands of dollars after meeting the seller in person.

Burnaby RCMP says a man bought a fake Rolex watch for $10,000. (Photo courtesy Burnaby RCMP)

But after handing over the money, police say he became suspicious and got the watch appraised — only to discover it was a knock-off. Police say the receipt and certificate weren’t legitimate either.

“Not only was the watch a convincing fake, it also came with a receipt and certificate of authenticity, which appeared real to the victim at the time of the purchase. These items were only discovered to be fake after they were brought to an appraiser,” Cpl. Mike Kalanj said.

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“We want to remind everyone to be cautious when making these types of purchases through marketplace websites. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Buyers need to beware that scammers are always looking for targets.”

Police are encouraging people potential victims who have purchased luxury watches to get them appraised, and if they are deemed fake, to call the Burnaby RCMP at 604-646-9999 and quote file number 22-38103.