The first classified ad site in Quebec

Général

For LesPAC, the security of its members is of the utmost importance. Around 50,000 new ads are published on the site each week. We successfully eliminate 95% of the content that has been deemed potentially fraudulent every day by removing suspicious ads as well as blocking scam emails our members receive.

We also count on the help of our community of members to report all fraud attempts, suspicious emails, ads that are fishy and/or do not respect the site’s terms of use, and any other similar activity of a LesPAC member.

You can contact us by clicking HERE or by clicking the “Report” button in an ad.

Here’s how you can optimize your experience on LesPAC and avoid unfortunate situations:

Sniffing out dubious emails or text messages (SMS)

Some clues:
- If a so-called LesPAC representative contacts you by a messaging system, email or phone and asks you to pay a fee or make a money transfer.
- The buyer is abroad and isn’t available by telephone and prefers talking to you through the Messenger.
- You’re asked to provide personal information (full name, address, telephone number).
- The buyer confirmed that they agree to the price OR asked you if it was your best price.
- They mention wire transfers, bank deposits, or transportation or delivery companies. Never transfer a refund or excess payment to someone you don’t know.
- The buyer uses strange or unusual phrasing.
- The buyer says it’s urgent, rush, or they need a fast response.
- The buyer may use a common last name that inspires confidence. Don’t trust this.
Examples of fraudulent messages:

bonsoir,
je viens de lire votre message et je suis ok avec le prix que vous avancez. Mais je voudrais vous dire puisque je suis a l'étranger je vous ferai un chèque de 18.000$ et je vous ferai parvenir ce chèque par la société DHL c'est une société qui fais les livraisons de porte a porte et vous recevrez votre chèque a votre adresse domiciliaire.donc si vous êtes d'accord veuillez s'il vous plait me faire parvenir vos informations(NOM,PRENOM,ADRESSE COMPLETE)
merci
Mr Garry

I got your response, I will take it for the price.Please remove the ad or put it as sold because i am seriouse about buying it.The payment will be Check or Money Order.I live in the USA.I will take care of the shipping and its cost. I already have a Shipping agent who will do the pick up from your house once you received,confirm and verify the payment.I want you to get back to me with your payment information so that the payment can be issue out fast.
If you are okay with the payment kindly get back to me with the information bellow please reply asap so i can make out the payment today.
Here is the information needed from you:
FULL-name
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE
ZIP-CODE
PHONE-NUMBER
FINAL ASKING PRICE.
I anxiously await your quick response,
I am counting on your honesty.
Thanks

Hello. I am Émile DELAGE Private investigator for LESPAC. We have noticed from our servers that you put on sale an article without paying the registration fees on our account. To avoid any problem with the Justice we request that you pay a fine of $ 150 in the worst case we will file a complaint against you.
SINCERELY, ÉMILE DELAGE (LESPAC)

Make a safe exchange

It goes without saying that exchanging the goods you've acquired or are disposing of is an exciting time in your process, but it's just as important to plan for it to make sure you do it safely. Here are some tips to remember:
- Know the name of the person you will meet before the exchange
- Make the exchange with the person with whom he had previously agreed
- Make the exchange outside when possible
- Ask for proof of identity at the very beginning of the meeting
- Make the exchange during day time, and when visibility is good
- Be accompanied
- Make the exchange in a public place where there is a lot of traffic
Several municipalities in Quebec have established “Safe Exchange Zones" often located near police services or municipal offices. We strongly advise you to inquire about the existence and location of such an area through the municipal services of your locality and to make your exchanges there when possible.

ASK QUESTIONS

Ask your buyer questions.
- Where do they live?
- If your buyer says that they live abroad, far away, or on another continent, it’s suspicious.
- Which item are they interested in?
- Erase the name of the item for sale in the subject of your email and ask them which item they want to buy. If they say they have no idea what you’re selling, beware.
In cases like these, delete the message and mark the sender as unwanted, junk, or spam in your message filters.

THINK “LOCAL” AND IN-PERSON

It’s better to meet the buyer or seller in person in order to make your transaction directly, face to face. This is the safest way to sell and buy. Making bank transfers or sending cheques to people you’ve never met, and for items you’ve never actually seen, is not advised.

When someone comes to your door, ask for ID. You don’t have to let whoever it is inside your home without doing this verification. Tip: ask a friend to be there.

BEWARE OF SUSPICIOUS REQUESTS

If you’re contacting a person regarding an ad posted on the site, and this person is making suspicious requests such as sending money using a fund transfer service or systems like MoneyGram, MoneyBookers, Safepay Solutions, Western Union, Bidpay, or PayPal, we urge you to forward us the message in question by clicking HERE and stopping all communication with this person.

YOUR OWN COMMON SENSE

If something seems too good to be true, that’s probably the case. Trust your instincts and, when in doubt, refrain from carrying out any sort of transaction.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

You should never disclose your personal or banking information or LesPAC password to anyone. Don’t provide your personal contact information unless absolutely necessary, and only when trust has been established. Treat your personal information like you treat your money: keep it out of sight.

Don’t give your personal information or banking details over the phone unless you are the one phoning and the number came from a reliable source. In addition, know that legitimate banks and financial institutions will never ask for your banking information in an email or even provide a link that gives you access to your account.

BE AWARE OF COMMON FRAUDS

Become familiar with the most common types of frauds. The more informed you are, the more difficult it will be to trick you.

Brand imitation
You receive an email message that appears to be from LesPAC, Western Union, or any other company that offers a payment protection system. This type of message asks you to send money through the site in question or disclose your personal information. LesPAC and similar companies never send this type of message by email. If you send money with these services and these sites, you’re probably sending your money to a scammer.
Fake promotion
You receive an email that’s presumably from LesPAC about a promotional offer. In order to check if the offer is really from LesPAC, make sure you ALWAYS log in to LesPAC with your username and password on the LesPAC.com site and not through the email you received. You’ll be certain that you’re in a secure environment this way, and then you can verify the authenticity of the promotional offer. If you receive an email message with the LesPAC.com logo that offers promotions that aren’t found on our site, don’t respond to the message and send us a copy of it by clicking HERE. These messages are without a doubt the work of scammers who are trying to get your money or personal information by imitating the appearance of LesPAC.com emails.
Overpayment
A buyer or seller sends you a cheque with an amount above the asking price and asks you to send them the difference. In most cases, the cheque is fake, and this person will have cashed all the money you sent.
Brokerage and import payment
A seller claims that you must pay extra for the brokerage or import service or a surcharge for sending the item to Canada. Never pay for these fees since you will almost never receive this item and all your money will be lost. Once again, LesPAC is a site that supports face-to-face transactions.
Fake “secure” sites
A buyer suggests using a secure website to complete your transaction. These sites are fraudulent (even if they seem to be official) and aim to have you pay without delivering the item to you. When you make your transaction, be sure to do it through a secure https:// link – the “S” stands for “secure.” Never provide your confidential information (e.g. bank account number) on a page that begins with http://.
Work from home
Most of these types of offers require you to recruit other members to be paid. For example, an ad says that you can earn $100/hour making necklaces. However, to make money, you have to recruit other people to do the same task as you.
Moving funds
You receive a message asking for your help moving money from one country to another in exchange for a commission. Eventually, you’ll be asked for a financial advance under the pretext that they need it to move this large amount. If you pay this amount, you’ll never hear from them again.
Phishing – Government of Canada cheque
The advertiser informs you that, as a Canadian age 18 years or over, you’re entitled to a cheque of $12,000, for example. They recommend that you apply online through sites such as www.canadiancheque.000space.com, www.canadaoffer.com, or www.cndcheques.com. These sites are fraudulent and aim to collect your personal and banking information.

Know by the name “Grants Money,” they offer you a kit that will enable you to receive money directly from the Government of Canada, and they will justify these cheques by the fact that many Canadian citizens are entitled to unclaimed grants.

To attract your attention, they use pictures of stacks of bills; CNN, CBS, and CNBC logos; cheque photocopies; and testimonials.

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE? BEWARE!

LesPAC.com doesn’t offer any protection program, payment methods, insurance, or guarantee between members (for example, LesPAC will never ask you to make a bank transfer to one of its agents to complete a transaction with another member).

We encourage you to report fraud attempt cases to the following legal institutions:

Royal Canadian Mounted Police
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/scams-fraudes/index-eng.htm

Phonebusters: The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
http://www.phonebusters.com/

Reporting Economic Crime On-Line (RECOL)
http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/

Take the quiz: Recognize fraud.
http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/h_00122.html

CAR FOR SALE – OBTAIN A CARFAX CANADA REPORT

A Carfax Canada vehicle history report can help you avoid fraud when buying a used car. You can use this report to verify the vehicle identification number (VIN) as well as the brand and model information listed on the registration form and the vehicle insurance application sheet. The Carfax Canada report will also tell you whether the vehicle is subject to a right of retention in Canada. This is an important piece of information since, if the vehicle is subject to an outstanding right of retention, the new owner could be held liable.

A Carfax report can help you confirm the current condition of the vehicle. You’ll find out whether it was formally imported and can view the odometer reading. You’ll also have access to information on past accidents, importations, registration, branding, and odometer readings, all from verified sources. This report will also tell you if the vehicle was stolen.

Go to the Carfax Canada website to find out more about the products they offer and to buy a vehicle history report.

ANIMALS FOR SALE – APPEARENCES CAN BE DECEIVING

Be vigilant when browsing the “Animals” category. A cute animal photo may be hiding unacceptable living conditions, such as those of puppy mills and catteries.

•   Choose a reputable breeder and visit the site where the animals are kept.

•   Ignore merchants who are offering many different breeds, are unable to answer your questions, offer vague information, or refuse to show you their facilities.

•   The term family-scale breeding is sometimes used to trick you and doesn’t always reflect reality.

•   Beware of puppy mills and catteries that try to pass off as individuals.

•   If you opt for an exotic animal, it’s your duty to do exhaustive research. These fragile animals have demanding medical needs and variable social behaviours and life expectancies, as well as specific diets.

To learn more about the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) or to adopt an animal, we invite you to visit their website: https://www.spca.com/en

If you suspect an advertiser of keeping animals in questionable conditions, fill out an online Anima-Québec complaint form. Anima-Québec is commissioned by the Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation (MAPAQ) to handle all complaints relative to the safety and well-being of dogs, cats, and farm animals in Quebec. You can also send a complaint to the SPCA or simply write to us at serviceclient@lespac.com.

Precautions regarding COVID-19

Your health and safety are important to us. The LesPAC platform allows thousands of people to get in touch to sell, buy and exchange goods every day. Given the rapidly changing situation surrounding COVID-19, our team would like to remind you of the precautions to be taken to prevent the virus from spreading. We all play an important role, thank you for helping us keep our community healthy.

Meet:

Consider these recommendations from Health Canada when planning a meeting:

Disinfect items with your regular household cleaners or a homemade mixture: 1 part bleach for 9 parts water.
Because COVID-19 is a respiratory virus that spreads through contact, consider changing the way you greet people. Handshakes, kisses or hugs should be avoided.
Increased hand hygiene is recommended in addition to paying special attention to how you cough or sneeze (in a handkerchief or the fold of your arm are the most effective techniques)

To learn more, visit Health Canada's Coronavirus Prevention Page (COVID-19).

We continue to monitor the situation closely and are committed to keeping you informed of any new measures that have been put in place.

Contact Us

When you’re sceptical about the content of an ad, a questionable email, or any activity you deem suspicious, inform us by clicking HERE. Our team is dedicated to handling these cases of fraud attempts. In addition, refrain from communicating with the seller or buyer.

Please note that LesPAC.com does not intervene in transactions between buyers and sellers.

Select a Category