With the rise in popularity of Facebook Marketplace for buying and selling items, scams are also becoming more common on the platform. If you get scammed on Facebook Marketplace, is there any way to get your money back? Here is what you need to know about getting a refund if you are the victim of a Facebook Marketplace scam.
How do scams happen on Facebook Marketplace?
Scammers take advantage of Facebook Marketplace in a few key ways:
- Asking you to pay outside of Facebook Pay – This avoids buyer protection
- Using fake profiles and stolen photos to appear legitimate
- Listing items far below market value to attract attention
- Lying about reasons they cannot meet in person for pickup
Once they have you hooked, common scam tactics include:
- Asking you to pay via bank transfer, gift card, or another non-refundable method
- Collecting payment then ceasing communication and never shipping the item
- Sending a counterfeit or much lower value version of the item
- Claiming the item was damaged or lost and keeping your money
Can I get a refund from Facebook Marketplace after a scam?
If you paid for an item on Facebook Marketplace using Facebook Pay, you are eligible for a refund under the Facebook Purchase Protection program. This covers payments made within the last 180 days.
To file a claim and get your money back from Facebook:
- Report the issue within 3 days of making the payment
- Contact the seller first to resolve the issue
- If that fails, file an “Item not received” claim
- Provide details about the issue and submit evidence if available
Facebook will review your claim and refund your money if they agree you were scammed. This process can take up to 15 days after submitting your claim.
What if I paid another way?
If you paid the seller using PayPal, a credit card, debit card, wire transfer, or another non-Facebook payment method, you will not be protected by Facebook Purchase Protection.
In these cases, your options are:
- PayPal – File a dispute within 180 days and escalate to a claim if needed. PayPal may refund you even for friends/family payments.
- Credit card – Dispute the charge with your credit card provider as an unauthorized transaction or non-receipt of goods.
- Debit card/bank transfer – Contact your bank to attempt to reverse the transfer if it was recent. Otherwise, you would need to pursue legal action against the scammer which is often not practical.
The downside of these methods is they often do not lead to successfully recovering your funds since it is difficult to identity and pursue scammers. PayPal or your bank will simply state you authorized the payment, even if it was fraud, since it was outside of their buyer protection programs.
When is it too late to get a refund after a scam?
Most refund options through Facebook, PayPal and your bank have a time limit, commonly 180 days. If too much time has passed, generally over 6 months, your options are very limited for any substantial recourse.
At that point, obtaining a refund would require identifying and legally pursuing the scammer for compensation. That is unfortunately not practical in most Facebook Marketplace scam cases.
Can I get the scammer’s account banned?
While getting your money back should be the priority if scammed, you can also report the fraudulent Facebook profile to try and get their account banned. This helps protect others from being targeted in the future.
To report a Facebook Marketplace scammer:
- Use the in-app reporting system or submit this online form: https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/1449086232398457
- Provide details on how you were scammed and any evidence
- Report the profile and specific posts used for scamming
Facebook reviews reports and disables accounts confirmed to violate policies against fraud, deception and scams. However, most scammers simply create new profiles, so banning one account is just a temporary solution.
How can I avoid Facebook Marketplace scams?
Here are some tips to protect yourself from getting scammed on Facebook Marketplace:
- Only pay through Facebook Pay where possible
- Beware of profiles with no friends/reviews and little info
- Reverse image search profile pics to check for fakes
- Ask to video chat before meeting large ticket items
- Only meet in public places and inspect items before paying
- Avoid wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency payments
- Trust instinct if an offer seems suspiciously good to be true
Can I sue a Facebook Marketplace scammer?
You are legally entitled to sue a scammer for fraud and recovering your lost funds. However, the practical challenges make this unrealistic in most cases:
- Hard to determine the real identity of the scammer
- Expensive and lengthy process to pursue legal action
- Scammer likely judgement proof without recoverable assets
- International scams add further complications
For high dollar scams, consulting a lawyer to review options and weigh costs vs. benefits may be worthwhile. But small claims court costs and time rarely justify pursuing legal action over minor Facebook Marketplace scams.
Conclusion
Getting scammed on Facebook Marketplace can be frustrating and financially damaging. Quick action improves chances of getting a refund but there are no guarantees. Avoiding scams by being cautious about payments and suspicious profiles is key to protect yourself. Report scammers to try getting their accounts disabled but focusing on recovering lost money should be the priority in responding to any Facebook Marketplace scams.