Often in FB Marketplace, particularly if the item has some real value – you will get at least 1 and sometimes several inquiries about your item almost immediately.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
None of the inquiries have any friends – all just joined FB. They use all sorts of photos now – “Family” – “pretty girl” – “older lady” – “Mom & child” each that ‘too good of a photograph’ to be like the rest of us and our photos. There is usually only 1 photo on their profile page.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I almost fell for it again. I answered them but refused to give me my phone number or call the number they gave me.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nothing anywhere on their profile page reflected the local area – not even the phone number. So, I questioned them and they couldn’t answer the local info questions.<\/p>\n
– Diane, Logansport, IN<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Diane’s account serves as a cautionary tale for those of us who use Facebook Marketplace. Sadly, this is certainly not the first time we’re seeing a Facebook Marketplace scam trying to trick people, and it won’t be the last. So, how do these scammers operate, and why is Facebook Marketplace such a hot spot for them?<\/p>\n
It’s because buyers and sellers seldom know one another. The Facebook Marketplace verification system for local buyers and sellers is limited. Essentially, you are on your own with little protection both on and off the platform.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A seller posts the item they want to sell onto Facebook Marketplace and then immediately gets responses from a few individuals posing as friendly people who are local to your area.<\/p>\n As Diane points out, they will make themselves look friendly by having a nice picture as their profile (i.e., a sweet elderly woman, a mother, and a child, etc.) so that sellers would be more willing to put their trust in them right off the bat.<\/p>\n Once a scammer says they want to buy your item, they will first ask for your phone number and ask you to confirm your identity. Once you give them your phone number, they will ask you to text a code to them that pops up on your cellphone they provide.<\/p>\n The verification code that the scammer asks you to text back to them could be used for accessing your online accounts, such as your email, social media, or banking. Or it could be a two-factor authentication <\/a>code that\u2019ll let the scammer take over one of your accounts. Or it could also be the authorization code to set up a Google Voice number, which the scammer can use to run even more scams. The worst part is that now their number will be linked to your phone, not theirs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By texting the code back to them, you are giving them the code that they need to log in to your accounts. Once they have access to your accounts, they can steal your personal information, money, or identity.<\/p>\n You should never<\/strong> share any verification codes with anyone who contacts you on Facebook Marketplace. If you receive a text message with a verification code that you did not request, do not reply or click on any links. Instead, report the message as spam and block the sender.<\/p>\n MORE: WATCH OUT FOR THIS ZELLE IMPOSTER SCAM ON FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The buyer that Diane encountered displayed plenty of red flags, and luckily, she did not go through with the entire devious plot that the scammer had in store.<\/p>\n GET SECURITY ALERTS WITH THE FREE CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER – CLICK HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n A big red flag proving that someone could be a scammer is if they don’t have many friends, pictures, or posts on their profile page.<\/p>\n You should also check to see if this person has recently joined Facebook or if they’ve been on the platform for a while.<\/p>\n The longer the profile has been up and the more posts the person has, the more likely it is to be a real person and not a scammer. You may hopefully be able to get a sense of who this person is from their profile before you agree to sell anything to them.<\/p>\n MORE: WARNING OVER NEW FACEBOOK & APPLE EMAIL SCAMS DUELING FOR YOUR ATTENTION\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many people will sell locally on Facebook Marketplace for the convenience of not having to pay shipping fees and for the convenience and immediate availability of items. Just like what happened with Diane, there will be scammers out there who try to pose as someone local to your neighborhood when they’re not.<\/p>\n Stick to Facebook when communicating with them. I recommend that you do not give out your phone number to anyone. If you already did give out your phone number, then I recommend you look up the area code of the phone number the person provided to you to see if it’s anywhere near where you live.<\/p>\n And if you’re still feeling skeptical, you can even try asking them a few questions about your area to see if they know the correct answers. They shouldn’t have issues answering a few simple questions if they’re local.<\/p>\n MORE: KEEP YOUR PERSONAL PHONE NUMBER PRIVATE WITH A FREE SECOND PHONE NUMBER<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n If they make grammar and spelling mistakes, that’s another red flag that it’s probably a scam artist whose first language is not English. Trust your gut when it comes to this. If any part of you doesn’t trust this person, don’t go through with the sale and stop communicating with them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If the person is urging or pressuring you to share personal information with them immediately and come off as aggressive in any way, then it’s likely to be a scammer.<\/p>\n MORE: DESPERATELY NEED FACEBOOK HELP? DON’T FALL FOR THIS SCAM<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n You should also be wary of anyone who asks you to move the conversation from Marketplace to text messaging, phone, or another platform. You should keep your discussions about any items you’re selling on Facebook Marketplace strictly on Facebook and Facebook Messenger.<\/p>\n If someone asks for your phone number, email address, or any other personal information right off the bat, that is a red flag. Avoid handing any of this information over to someone whom you are communicating with on Facebook Marketplace.<\/p>\n If someone asks to pay for an item with a gift card, it’s likely a scam. Gift cards<\/a> are not a secure or traceable form of payment. Also, the scammer may be trying to use a fake gift card to pay you. They may also try to trick you by giving you a gift card that has already been used or has no balance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When it comes to getting your item to the potential buyer, see if you can meet up in a neutral, public place such as a police department parking lot. It will also help you avoid shipping charges and a scammer who might be trying to use a fake shipping address.<\/a><\/p>\n MORE: PERSONAL PROTECTION ITEMS TO KEEP YOU SAFE <\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Best tech for personal protection in 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n![\"1-FACEBOOK](\"https:\/\/cyberguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/1-FACEBOOK-MARKETPLACE.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHow does this Facebook Marketplace scam play out<\/h2>\n
Step 1 – Scammers pose as friendly people<\/h3>\n
Step 2 – Scammers ask to confirm your identity<\/h3>\n
Step 3 – Scammers try to get you to send them a verification code<\/h3>\n
What are some red flags you should look out for?<\/h2>\n
![\"2-MARKETPLACE](\"https:\/\/cyberguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/2-MARKETPLACE-ON-PHONE.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRed flag #1 – Has few friends, pictures, or posts<\/h3>\n
Red flag #2 – Poses as someone local to your area<\/h3>\n
Red flag #3 – Grammar and spelling mistakes<\/h3>\n
Red flag #4 – Urging or pressuring you<\/h3>\n
![\"3-MAN](\"https:\/\/cyberguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/3-MAN-STRESSED-ON-COMPUTER.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRed flag #5 – Asks to move the conversation from Facebook<\/h3>\n
Red flag #6 – Asks for personal information<\/h3>\n
Red flag #7 – Asks to pay with a gift card<\/strong><\/h3>\n
How to avoid becoming a victim of a Facebook Marketplace scam<\/h2>\n
Meet up in a safe public place<\/h3>\n