Facebook Marketplace has become an increasingly popular platform for buying and selling items locally. The convenience of using an existing social media account to list items for sale or search for deals in your area makes Marketplace attractive to many users.
However, as with any online marketplace, there are risks involved for both buyers and sellers. Scams do unfortunately occur on Facebook Marketplace, and sellers in particular need to be aware of how they can get targeted and steps they can take to avoid getting ripped off.
How sellers get targeted by scammers on Facebook Marketplace
Here are some of the common techniques scammers use against sellers on Marketplace:
- Asking to pay or ship items using methods outside of Facebook’s system. Facebook has built-in payment protection and recommended shipping labels, but scammers will often ask to pay in untraceable ways like gift cards, bank transfers, Venmo, PayPal Friends and Family, etc. This avoids any fraud protections.
- Claiming they will pay more than the asking price if the seller pays an “agent” or “shipper” first. This is a fake overpayment scam.
- Sending a fake “confirmation” email claiming the item has been paid for. These emails mimic Facebook but are fraudulent.
- Interacting persistently to build trust and then creating elaborate fake emergencies or excuses for why they need the item shipped somewhere else, sent early, have payment sent back, etc.
- Pretending to accidentally report the listing and asking the seller to ship the item before it’s taken down. The listing was never actually reported.
- Claiming there are issues with their Facebook account to explain why they want to communicate and pay outside of Marketplace’s systems.
These tactics aim to lure sellers away from the protections of dealing directly on Facebook Marketplace in order to more easily scam them. Sellers should be wary of any communications, requests, or payments that seem suspicious or try to avoid using Facebook’s tools.
4 types of scams that target Facebook Marketplace sellers
Here are some specific types of scams for sellers to watch out for:
Fake payment scams
This is when a “buyer” claims they have paid for an item, usually by sending a fake confirmation email pretending to be from Facebook or PayPal. The scammer hopes the seller will ship the item without confirming they actually received a payment.
Overpayment scams
A scammer offers to buy the item and “accidentally” sends too much money. They ask the seller to wire back the extra amount, but the initial payment never clears and the seller is out whatever they sent back.
“Agent” pick up scams
A scammer claims they will send an “agent” to pick up the item and pay for it. They ask the seller to pay a fee to this “agent” ahead of time for the service. The agent never shows up and the seller loses that money.
Returned check scams
The scammer sends a bad check as payment and asks the seller to deposit it. They claim the bank made a mistake if the check bounces, and ask the seller to send money back. The seller is then out whatever they wired to the scammer.
9 tips to avoid getting scammed as a seller on Facebook Marketplace
Here are some precautions sellers should take:
- Only accept payments through Facebook’s checkout system. Avoid any other payment methods.
- Don’t ship items until the payment clears and you can confirm the money is in your account.
- Be wary of any communications that try to continue the transaction outside of Facebook Messenger.
- Watch out for fake emails that look like they are from Facebook but actually are not.
- Never pay any shipping fees or other charges for a “courier” to pick up the item.
- Avoid buyers who create a sense of urgency or pressure you to bypass your normal process.
- Do not accept checks as payment methods to avoid fake check scams.
- Learn to recognize the common tactics and stories scammers use on Marketplace sellers.
- Trust your instincts – if something feels suspicious or too good to be true, it probably is.
What to do if you suspect you’re being scammed as a Facebook Marketplace seller
If you think a buyer interacting with you could be a scammer, here are some steps to take:
- Stop communicating with them immediately and block them.
- Report the messages and user to Facebook.
- Do not ship any items or send any money.
- Save all communication records as evidence.
- If you already shipped an item or sent money, contact your bank and local police.
- Learn from the experience and be even more cautious going forward.
Acting quickly when you suspect a scam can help limit your losses. Facebook also may be able to ban scammers reported to them to prevent future victims.
Examples of real Facebook Marketplace seller scams
To understand how these scams work, here are some examples shared by victims:
Fake payment for a couch
Jane listed a couch for sale for $200 on Facebook Marketplace. A buyer messaged her saying he wanted to buy it and would pay through Facebook. He sent a fake confirmation email pretending to be Facebook saying he had paid. Jane almost shipped the couch before realizing she had not actually received any money.
Overpayment for a computer
Alex was selling his laptop computer for $500. A buyer offered to pay $2000 for fast shipping, then sent a PayPal email claiming he sent $2000 by mistake and asking Alex to wire back $1500. Alex wired the money back, but then the original $2000 payment was rescinded. Alex lost the $1500 he had refunded.
“Shipping agent” scam for a bicycle
Robin listed a bicycle for sale on Marketplace. A scammer offered to buy it but said he would need to use a “shipping agent” to pick it up and pay Robin. He asked Robin to quickly pay a $200 fee to this agent’s account. Robin sent the money but neither the agent or scammer showed up, and Robin lost the $200.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, scams on platforms like Facebook Marketplace are common and sellers in particular are targets. Scammers are clever at impersonating legitimate buyers in order to trick sellers into sending money or items.
The most important thing is for sellers to be aware of the typical scam tactics like fake payments and overpayments. They should stick to only using Facebook’s own payment tools, and not ship items until they can confirm payment cleared. Being cautious about communications that seem suspicious can also prevent sellers from getting ripped off.
With proper precautions, sellers can reduce their risk and have safe experiences using Marketplace. But it’s crucial they take steps to avoid the common scams targeting Marketplace listings.