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Better Business Bureau advises consumers and businesses to look for automated messages on Facebook Marketplace that may be a sign of a scam.
Facebook Marketplace can be a great resource for buying and selling, especially within your local community. However, scams are nothing new on this platform since it can be difficult to vet sellers and buyers. Last year, 18.7% of people who reported to BBB that they lost money in a scam said it occurred on social media.
BBB St. Louis has received reports of a specific Facebook Marketplace scam: Consumers and businesses involved in used car sales have received hundreds of automated scam messages from alleged potential buyers.
The “buyer” will express interest in the sale and ask the seller to provide their phone number so they can send a code to verify the seller is “real.” This is likely a way to obtain the seller’s phone number to create a fraudulent Google Voice account, which the scammer will use for future nefarious purposes. It may also be an attempt to hack into the seller’s Facebook or other accounts.
Platforms like Facebook Marketplace have protections for your personal and financial information, so scammers may try to work around that by asking users to leave the platform or provide personal information like a phone number. BBB recommends that users avoid scams by staying on Facebook and not sharing private details when buying or selling online.
Consumers and businesses should know the signs of other common Facebook Marketplace scams, too – overpayment for an item, requests for advance payment, communicating outside of Facebook, and refusing to let buyers see an item before purchase are all potential red flags.
How to avoid scams on Facebook Marketplace:
- Limit sharing personal information online. This age-old tip for internet safety is classic for a reason – it's good advice to stay safe online and applies to Facebook Marketplace, too. Don’t share details like your phone number or location with strangers.
- Be careful when selling or buying big-ticket items. These more expensive sales, such as the used car sales reported to BBB St. Louis, may be more likely to attract scammers.
- Don’t share confirmation codes with anyone. Six-digit codes are usually intended to help you reset a password or access an account, and they are meant for your eyes only. A stranger should never ask you for a six-digit code. If a buyer or seller on Facebook Marketplace asks to send you one, cut contact with them.
- If buying, always meet the seller and see the item for sale before purchasing. This will help you avoid most scams on Facebook Marketplace. If a seller refuses to let you see the item in advance, there’s a chance it may not exist or may be defective in some way.
- Watch out for overpayment. Some scammers will overpay for an item using a fraudulent payment method to try to get sellers to send them money back. If someone overpays for an item, decline the charge and ask them to send the correct amount.
- Check the buyer or seller’s profile. Some people create fake profiles to run scams, then disappear with the money after the sale. A brand-new profile may be a red flag.
- Report scams to Facebook. You can report Facebook Marketplace sellers and buyers to Facebook if you suspect they are involved in a scam.
For more information
Learn more about a Facebook Marketplace scam involving peer-to-peer payment apps.
Learn more about a Facebook Marketplace scam involving big ticket items.
BBB St. Louis contributed this article.
