Trade Me plays Santa for family
A family fleeced out of a Christmas present for their 3-year-old have received a replacement gift in time for Christmas, thanks to Trade Me.
After falling victim to a Facebook marketplace scam sale, a Wellington family was going to be one present down at Christmas.
They had paid $250 for a ride-on car on Facebook marketplace but soon after the seller deleted the ad and could not be contacted.
The family were facing a last-minute dash to get something special to give Miller,3, when Trade Me came to the rescue and bought a replacement ride-on car.
‘‘We were really heartbroken to hear the family’s story, especially so close to Christmas,’’ Trade Me spokeswoman Millie Silvester said.
She got in touch with the family on Friday to organise for the toy car to be delivered to them in time for Christmas.
‘‘We wanted to right someone else’s wrong.’’
Silvester organised for Trade Me seller TSB Living , which had already closed for Christmas, to transport one of their children’s cars from Auckland to Wellington.
It was ‘‘definitely a team effort’’, Silvester said. ‘‘So glad we could pull it off in time for Christmas.’’
Miller’s dad, Barry Carr, said he was stoked when the Trade Me spokeswoman contacted him and offered to help out.
‘‘She called up and basically she just said she had read the Stuff article and felt compelled to do something about it.
‘‘I think she worked really hard to get it out to us on the same day.’’
After Carr received the replacement gift on Saturday he got to work decorating it with images from Disney film
‘‘My daughter is obsessed with
Carr’s partner, Mickey Ridgway, had originally found the children’s car on a Facebook Marketplace ad that said ‘‘cars for kids’ Christmas presents’’’.
She filled out a delivery form and said the seller appeared to be an official operator.
But when Ridgway asked about delivery on Thursday morning - days out from Christmas - she got no response. She was later blocked by the seller and the advertisement was taken off Facebook. She has reported the scam to police.
Ridgway said she was deeply thankful for the replacement gift. ‘‘They are going to make one 3-year-old very very happy.’’