Facebook Marketplace has become a booming online platform for buying and selling goods locally. Its ease of use and integration with social profiles offered a sense of security that older platforms lacked. However, this popularity has also attracted a wave of scammers, turning what was once a trusted community marketplace into a potential minefield. Like many others, I recently experienced this firsthand when trying to sell a simple piece of furniture – my old Amazon starter couch.
Listing my generic, velvet-green futon on Facebook Marketplace seemed like a straightforward way to find a new home for it. I imagined connecting with local college students or someone new to the city looking for affordable furniture. Instead, I was met with a barrage of suspicious inquiries, almost all exhibiting classic scammer behavior. From the outset, potential “buyers” would offer the full asking price without hesitation – a red flag for anyone familiar with the usual haggling on Facebook Marketplace. Then came the repetitive questions already answered in the listing description: “Where are you located?” “What’s the condition?” After patiently providing the information again and again, the requests took a predictable turn. They insisted on paying immediately, often through Zelle, to “secure” the item or arrange for a “husband,” “brother,” “son,” or “mover” to pick it up later that day.
These insistent offers of prepayment via Zelle, before even seeing the futon in person, immediately raised alarm bells. It seemed highly unlikely that a genuine buyer would send money without verifying the item’s existence and condition. My suspicion was that accepting these offers would lead to a phishing scam. They would likely send a fraudulent link, disguised as a Zelle notification via text or email, designed to steal far more than the couch was worth. For now, my futon remains folded in the corner of my apartment, a testament to my failed attempt to use Facebook Marketplace for its intended purpose: neighborly buying and selling.
My experience is just one example of the widespread scams plaguing Facebook Marketplace. Experts warn that these scams range from fake listings of high-value items, like cars, to demands for prepaid debit cards as purported down payments for eBay or Amazon, followed by the scammer disappearing with the money. While online peer-to-peer shopping has always carried risks, now even sellers are becoming frequent targets. A freelance writer in Australia recently shared her embarrassing experience in The Guardian, recounting how she lost $1,000 while trying to sell a pair of boots after falling victim to a phishing link sent by a scammer.
Facebook is not the only platform where scams occur; they are prevalent across various online selling sites. However, the immense popularity of Facebook Marketplace, which has exploded since its 2016 launch, has made it a prime hunting ground for scammers. Initially, Facebook Marketplace offered a sense of increased transparency and trust. Unlike anonymous Craigslist ads, users interacted through profiles that typically included real names and photos. Posting listings was incredibly simple, requiring just a few clicks to upload photos and write descriptions using existing Facebook profiles. By 2021, Facebook Marketplace boasted 1 billion monthly users, fueled by the surge in ecommerce during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unfortunately, this built-in trust is now being exploited by bad actors to defraud people of significant sums, far exceeding the value of their second-hand goods. These scams have become a pervasive issue on the platform, and Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has struggled to effectively combat them. To navigate Facebook Marketplace safely, it’s crucial to be aware of common scam tactics and adopt a cautious approach. Always be wary of buyers or sellers who:
- Offer full price immediately without negotiation.
- Refuse to meet in person or inspect the item.
- Insist on using non-traditional payment methods like prepaid debit cards or gift cards.
- Pressure you to act quickly or create a sense of urgency.
- Send suspicious links or requests for personal information.
By staying informed and vigilant, you can minimize your risk and enjoy safer transactions on Facebook Marketplace. Remember to trust your instincts and report any suspicious activity to help protect yourself and other users in the community.
