News that a man in neighboring Delaware County was sentenced last month for taking $9,435 from a person he met on Craigslist raises questions about online consumer safety.
Raymond D. Sarrocco, 65, was sentenced by Delaware County Judge James Shuck to four years of probation and 100 hours of community service, and also ordered to not use the internet.
Sarrocco paid $7,500 in restitution to his victim and is required to pay the remaining amount in monthly payments.
He could serve 18 months in prison if he violates the terms of his probation.
Dan Orzano, outreach and education manager for the Ohio Division of Securities, shared tips to stay safe when shopping online.
He said the Division of Financial Institutions, which regulates Ohio-chartered banks, credit unions, payday loan businesses and other money-related entities, recommends looking for a padlock icon in the browser bar of a site to verify that it uses secure sockets layer encryption.
The URL also should start with “https” rather than just “http.” Also, use a credit card instead of debit card because there are laws to limit your liability for fraudulent credit card charges, but you may not have the same level of protection for your debit cards. And be wary of (phishing) emails and texts requesting information, he added.
Sarrocco pleaded guilty June 29 to theft, a fourth-degree felony. Sarrocco told the victim the money would be used for an investment and proceeded to use the funds for his own finances.
Last August, Sarrocco was convicted for defrauding an elderly Nevada resident for a nonexistent investment and sentenced to 45 days in the Delaware County jail, four years of community control and 100 hours of community service, and he was ordered to not use the internet and to repay the victim.
Sarrocco also used Craigslist in that case to solicit money to invest in securities.
In both cases, he was indicted by a Delaware County grand jury following criminal referrals by the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Securities.
Orzano said that the prospects of people getting their money back after they are scammed are often minuscule.
“Sadly, very low and even if they can, oftentimes it’s pennies on the dollar,” he said. “That’s why prevention is so important, why consumers have to ask questions, have time to do research, get second opinions from a trusted source, etc.
"If you find yourself entangled in a deal that doesn’t seem right, there are steps you can take. Potential victims can contact the police, the local BBB, the state securities regulator or an attorney specializing in fraud.
“The sooner it’s reported, the better the chance the scam can be stopped, the accounts can be frozen, etc.,” Orzano said. “But there’s no guarantee. When the money is gone, it’s gone for good.”
