Is Facebook Marketplace Safe?

Yes, Facebook Marketplace is safe. However, it’s important to be cautious of scammers who are active on the platform, just like on any other online marketplace. Facebook Marketplace is a part of Facebook that allows you to buy or sell items from individuals or small businesses. Whether you’re buying or selling, you can avoid being scammed on Facebook Marketplace by only communicating through Facebook Messenger, never giving out your personal information and being aware of common phishing scams.

Continue reading to learn how Facebook protects buyers and sellers, how to identify whether people on Facebook Marketplace are scammers or legitimate, how to avoid being scammed and the steps you can take to report a scammer on the online marketplace.

How does Facebook protect buyers and sellers?

Facebook has several safety measures in place to protect buyers and sellers who use Facebook Marketplace:

• Purchase Protection is a free feature that allows you to request a refund on eligible orders if you never received your order, received a damaged product, the seller didn’t follow their refund policy, the seller was removed from Facebook or the purchase was unauthorized. This policy protects you as a buyer because Facebook will review the details of your order and approve your claim if they find any wrongdoing regarding your order.
• Seller Protection is a program that protects sellers against claims regarding issues with an order that the seller could not have influenced. This program helps sellers in cases of lost, stolen or delayed packages, buyers lying about an item not being as described, buyers attempting to return used or damaged items and unauthorized chargebacks.

How to know if a Facebook Marketplace seller is a scammer

There are multiple signs that a Facebook Marketplace seller may be a scammer, such as an item’s unusually low price or the seller’s abnormal behavior.

The item’s price seems too good to be true

Whenever a price on any online marketplace seems too good to be true, it usually is. One way to determine if a Facebook Marketplace seller is a scammer is if their items are listed at prices far lower than the product’s actual value. For example, if you are trying to buy a new phone on Facebook Marketplace and the price is listed for much lower than the phone is actually worth, the seller is most likely trying to scam you into buying it quickly and does not actually have the item.

The seller is asking for payment in advance

If you interact with a seller on Facebook Marketplace about an item and they request payment in advance, they are likely trying to scam you. This is common for expensive or large items, such as rental apartments or furniture. Scammers hope you will put down a deposit or buy an item without physically inspecting it because they often don’t actually have the item they are advertising. By paying a seller without seeing the item or having it delivered, you risk losing your money and not receiving the item you paid for.

The seller’s profile was recently created

Check how long a seller’s profile has been active on Facebook Marketplace. If a seller recently created their profile and does not have much information about themselves or their items, they are likely a scammer. Most legitimate sellers on Facebook Marketplace have a history of selling multiple items over several years and their personal profile will have posts, photos and other activity. A newly created profile is suspicious, so be cautious when interacting with someone whose profile is new.

The seller refuses to meet in person

A clear sign that someone you are communicating with on Facebook Marketplace is a scammer is if they refuse to meet in person. When a seller offers an item but insists on shipping it to you, it is often a sign that they do not actually have the item and that their offer is not legitimate. If you plan to purchase a large or expensive item on Facebook Marketplace, make sure to inspect it in person before sending any money to the seller.

How to know if a Facebook Marketplace buyer is legit

As someone selling items on Facebook Marketplace, you want to ensure that the person you are selling to is not a scammer. Some ways you can tell if a buyer is legit on Facebook Marketplace include having an established profile, being willing to meet in person and displaying legitimate reviews on their profile.

The buyer has an established profile

If a buyer’s profile was created within the last few days, they are most likely a scammer. Legitimate buyers on Facebook Marketplace typically have established profiles that show they are real people with genuine posts and friends. A newly created profile with no images, information or followers is a red flag that the buyer may not have good intentions.

The buyer is willing to meet in person

Buyers who are willing to meet you to inspect or receive your item are much more trustworthy than those who avoid interacting with you in real life. A buyer willing to meet in person is likely concerned about the quality of your item and wants to ensure you are as authentic as they are.

The buyer has legitimate reviews on their profile

On Facebook Marketplace, you can see if a buyer has ratings on their profile if they’ve received over five ratings. For a buyer to receive a rating, they must have purchased an item from someone or communicated with a seller about an item on Facebook Marketplace. If you are interacting with a buyer who has several high ratings on their profile, it indicates the buyer is legitimate and unlikely to scam you. Once a buyer has purchased something from you or communicated with you, you will see an option to rate buyer to add your own rating to their profile.

The buyer is responsive

A positive sign that you can trust a buyer is if they are responsive. When a prospective buyer genuinely wants the item you are selling, they will respond quickly and ask relevant questions. If you’re communicating with someone on Facebook Marketplace who takes hours or even days to reply, they are likely not interested or may be wasting your time with the intention of scamming you.

How to avoid being scammed on Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is full of potential scammers, so it’s important to learn how to protect yourself. To avoid becoming a victim, only communicate through Facebook Messenger, never share your personal information and check sellers’ reviews.

Only communicate through Facebook Messenger

To protect your item as a seller and your money as a buyer, communicate only through Facebook Messenger when buying or selling an item on Facebook Marketplace. If a buyer or seller wants to communicate with you via text message, email or another app, it may be a sign they are attempting to scam you. Taking your conversation outside Facebook Messenger increases the risk that Facebook will be unable to assist if you are scammed, as they cannot use your conversation as evidence.

Never give out your personal information

When communicating with a potential buyer or seller, never reveal personal information, such as your home address, phone number or credit card details. For example, if you are about to purchase an item and a seller directly asks for your bank account information, this is a red flag, and you should stop interacting with them immediately. Giving someone your personal information through Facebook Marketplace could lead to them committing identity theft or targeting you with phishing attacks.

Check the seller’s review and ratings

Before purchasing an item from a seller, review their ratings on Facebook Marketplace. If a seller has negative reviews or poor ratings, avoid conducting business with them. A seller on Facebook Marketplace should have more positive reviews than negative ones, as this indicates that others have purchased items from them legitimately. However, carefully review the details of any seller’s reviews to ensure their reviews are authentic. Some scammers may use fake positive reviews, often written by bots, to appear more credible.

Be aware of phishing scams

Facebook Marketplace is often targeted by phishing scams that you should be aware of when buying or selling on the platform. Common phishing scams on Facebook Marketplace include advance deposit scams, gift card payment scams, wire transfer scams and faulty item scams. Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, Facebook Marketplace is filled with people seeking to scam you out of money, items or services, so it’s important to be cautious of the most recent scams.

Don’t accept overpayment

If you’re a seller on Facebook Marketplace, never accept overpayments because they are often scams. For example, if you sell an item for $30 but the buyer sends you $50, they may either ask for the excess amount back or rely on you noticing the overpayment and returning it voluntarily. In reality, the buyer intentionally overpaid to trick you into sending money back. Some scammers use stolen debit or credit cards to make these payments, which will eventually be reversed, causing the funds to be withdrawn from your account. Therefore, if you send the money “back” to the buyer, you are actually losing your own money.

How to report a fraudulent seller on Facebook Marketplace

If you suspect you are communicating with a fraudulent seller on Facebook Marketplace, take the following steps to report the seller:

1. Tap the three horizontal lines, then tap Marketplace.
2. Tap on your profile at the top right of your screen.
3. Hit Inbox, then tap Buying.
4. Select the listing that you want to report and open your messages with the seller.
5. Tap the seller’s photo, select the three dots, then tap Report.
6. Hit Continue, then tap Scam.
7. Follow the prompts on your screen to submit your report.

Stay safe when using Facebook Marketplace

Although Facebook Marketplace can be a great place to buy or sell items, it’s essential to be careful when communicating and transacting with people online. Buyers should watch for signs of suspicious sellers, such as items listed at too-good-to-be-true prices, recently created profiles or sellers who refuse to meet in person. Sellers should be wary of illegitimate buyers by ensuring their profiles have existed for a while and that they are willing to meet in person.