• A symbol designating a safe place to complete online transactions has been placed on parking spaces near a police station in Pembroke, Ontario.
• The handshake symbol designates a place where people can safely meet to transact.
Motorists are used to seeing parking-space symbols in mall parking lots and other public spaces. Think of those designating a reserved space for people with reduced mobility, or for electric vehicle charging, for example.
In Ontario, a new symbol has just been born, as reported by CTV News Ottawa. It’s located right by a provincial police station located in Pembroke, but the idea is so interesting that it could be used across Canada.
The new handshake symbol designates a neutral safe zone for completing transactions between strangers.
You’ve probably experienced this type of situation before and may have had concerns about where to meet in person. Here’s a solution that can put both parties at ease.
Project Safe Trade aims to create a ‘community safety zone’, in this first case in the parking lot of an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) station, to facilitate online transactions, the OPP said in a press release. “Creating a ‘community safety zone’ is about moving online transactions away from secluded parking lots, personal residences or other areas and bringing them to a public place.”
Project Safe Trade locations are available at all hours and do not require an appointment.
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“The local launch of Project Safe Trade comes at an ideal time with the busy holiday season upon us. Online property transactions are ever-increasing and the UOV OPP is proud to be launching a community safety initiative aimed at decreasing offences related to online marketplace transactions,” said Steph Neufeld, OPP detachment commander for the Upper Ottawa Valley.
The idea is this: two people entering into a legitimate transaction will likely have no problem meeting in a designated spot like this, in fact they might welcome it. On the other hand, a scammer might be reluctant to go to a neutral location, especially one so near a police station.
For those not in the Pembroke area, the OPP gives the following advice if you’re buying a used car, for example:
-Meet in a busy public space.
– Bring a trusted friend or family member with you as a witness.
-Conduct transactions in daylight.
-Don’t erase emails, texts or voice mails between you and the buyer or seller.
