Five flavors of Facebook Marketplace scams

Let me be up front about this—I’m not a fan of Facebook. But in 2022, Facebook had over 2 billion active users. The company also had a growing number of Facebook Marketplace scams.

According to Reader’s Digest, there are currently more than a billion people who buy and sell goods on Facebook Marketplace each month. If you’re a scammer, a market that size has almost unlimited potential. To be fair, these scams could occur on any other platform where buyers and sellers have direct contact. 

Five Facebook Marketplace scams

The Fake Seller

Have you ever received a Friend request on Facebook and later found out your new friend was a fake? Eventually, those profiles for fake friends or sellers get shut down, but not until after they’ve made a tidy profit. Solution: always thoroughly check out the profile of someone who is selling on Facebook Marketplace. Avoid dealing with someone who has a new profile.

Let’s do this outside of Facebook

The seller asks that you finish the transaction outside of the normal channels. They might offer a better deal, or perhaps they claim it will save them money to do the transaction elsewhere. Whatever the reasons, remember that Facebook’s Purchase Protection doesn’t apply when you buy outside of the marketplace. Solution: keep your transaction on Facebook Marketplace or, better yet, walk away from a seller who asks you to do this.

Pay first, mail later

I know, this tip might sound strange at first, but if you’re buying from someone you don’t know, it’s best to have a middleman. To keep all parties honest, there should be someone to make sure both parties play by the rules. Without that middleman, you might pay for something and get nothing in return. Solution: Don’t send money unless you have a guarantee you’ll receive the items you purchased.

Items that don’t work

The seller knows the item is broken but hopes you’ll be too busy to check it out before you make payment. Solution: make sure all purchased items work as advertised before sending any money.

Fake giveaways

Because there’s no verification process on Facebook, scammers can list anything for a giveaway. Cryptocurrency giveaways are especially popular right now. The scam is simple enough—they provide a link; you click it; you download malware that will give scammers access to your most sensitive information. Solution: Never click on a link if you don’t know where it goes.

There are so many times when I feel like I’m playing a broken record. The solutions to avoiding these scams are basic internet-security rules, and yet innocent people violate these rules every day. Facebook Marketplace is just one more venue where scams can proliferate thanks to lax oversight. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security just because you’re in a familiar place. Just because you think Facebook is a cool place to hang out doesn’t mean it’s a safe place to do so.

Did you see last month’s scam tip? You can find it at Tips to avoid the 2023 Amazon scams. Click here to view more Friday Morning Post entries, or you can follow me on Twitter.