Terrifying: Woman uses buying-selling app in Raleigh, finds herself at gunpoint

A Raleigh woman experienced a terrifying ordeal in which a phone sale transaction using the "Let Go" app on Burgundy Street in Raleigh resulted in a gun to her head.

"I have my purse. They took the money out of my purse," she said in a 911 call. "One of them grabbed my purse, and the other one grabbed my other bag, and they stuck a gun in my face and took my keys out of the ignition."

This scenario, authorities say, unfortunately isn't an unusual one. A person uses an online app to buy or sell something, and things turn ugly when they meet the stranger face-to-face.

Senior Officer Ken Klos-Welled says as the popularity of the apps grow, the incidents become even more common.

"I wouldn't be able to put a number on it, but I would say that yes, these types of incidents are something that we've seen a rise in," he said.

Klos-Welled advises people to always meet during the day in a familiar place. Many municipalities around the area have designated areas for transactions with surveillance cameras and signs with emergency contact information.

And Klos-Weller says don't be afraid to back out if things just don't feel right.

"It's okay to demand to have this transaction happen during the daytime or say I really want to meet here and it's not going to happen unless we meet here," he said.

Officers say too often, people do not meet in designated "safe spaces" or agree to meet at night because they do not want to be rude or inconvenient.

But authorities say it's important to put safety first and follow your instincts.