Facebook Marketplace scams are on the rise, and banks are increasingly worried about fraudsters taking advantage of the marketplace to con unsuspecting users. In recent months, there have been a number of reports of people being scammed out of money after trying to buy items through the Marketplace.
In most cases, the scammer will contact the buyer and agree to sell them an item at a reduced price. They will then ask for payment through a wire transfer or cryptocurrency, and once the payment is made, they will disappear. Often, the items that are being sold don’t even exist. This type of scam is becoming more and more common, and it’s important to be aware of it if you’re planning on using the Marketplace.
1. Very low prices
The first scam to watch out for in the Facebook Marketplace is sellers who list items that are significantly cheaper than similar items elsewhere. These sellers are usually trying to offload stolen goods or goods that do not exist at all, and you may end up getting into trouble if you purchase from them. Related to this is sellers who claim to have multiple items available but only have one in stock. They will try to get you to pay for the item before they ship it, and then they will disappear with your money.
2 . Refusing to meet
Watch out for sellers who refuse to meet in person or only communicate through private messages. This could be because they’re trying to hide their identity, or because they’re trying to avoid giving you their contact information.
3 .Paypal friends and family payment option
Be aware of sellers who want you to pay using the friends and family option on Paypal. This offers no buyer protection, so if something goes wrong, you won’t be able to get your money back. Stick to using the regular Paypal option for all transactions, even if the seller tries to pressure you into using friends and family. That way, you’ll be covered by Paypal’s buyer protection policy in case anything goes wrong. And if it does, you can always file a dispute with Paypal to try to get your money back.
4 . Fake ads
Some scammers create fake profiles and advertise the same item multiple times. If you see an ad that looks too good to be true, be sure to do your research before handing over any money.
Some scammers create fake profiles and use them to advertise items. They may also steal profiles from other people online and use them to create their own fake profiles. This can make it difficult to tell who is legitimate and who is not. If you’re ever unsure about a seller, you can always message them directly to ask questions or request more photos.
5 .Links to fake courier websites
Some scammers will try to get you to pay for shipping by redirecting you to a fake courier website. Always double check that the website is legitimate before inputting any payment information.
If you’ve got any experience with Facebook Marketplace scammers, please contact Scam Help and share your experience. Let’s help everyone out there be safe when buying or selling something on this platform.
