Scammers have been infiltrating Facebook Marketplace posts from people in Norfolk in order to steal cash.

The trick sees them respond to adverts stating they want to buy the item listed, before saying they have sent a courier from "GLS".

They then try to get victims to make payments to get the parcel collected quicker.

Norfolk Trading Standards received one report from a seller in the county who was approached by a woman who wanted to buy advertised goods - but could not come to their house because she lived too far away.

She continued to say she had instructed a courier to come and collect the parcel from the seller’s home and not to worry as it was all paid for.

A few hours later the trickster contacted the seller again wanting money under the guise that anything paid out would come back as a refund when the parcel was collected.

The seller paid the fee but they were then told the transaction was not processed so they needed to pay again.

Further scamming continued as the buyer insisted the second transaction was not processed, so a different link was supplied claiming to be from the “GLS team” so the seller paid again.

Trading Standards said the fake “GLS team” account would likely be the same person.

The scammer continued to send the seller email after email, convincing the victim everything was real.

In the last twist, the purchaser tried to say the "GLS collection" would be late by a few hours unless they wanted to pay one last fee of £130, it was then that the victim became suspicious.

Through research on Facebook Messenger, the victim discovered an account had been hijacked and it was being used to scam them.

Following the incident, Trading Standards is advising residents to be cautious when selling or purchasing items using second-hand selling sites.

Those who have been targeted can report this scam via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.