Scams on Facebook Marketplace!

[@johnbeal839]

“Is this still available?” is a pre written message that Facebook offers to interested buyers. You’re going to see this a lot for that reason alone.

[@RanaRandom]

Can pick up today

[@deliarealtor]

Yes, that was my thought.

[@KayleneKelley-im3of]

LoL definitely my first interaction with a seller.

[@KevsGuide]

Yes. 😂

[@RanaRandom]

Can pick up today

[@davidchapamusicofficial]

More of these videos need to be published. I get so tired of seeing friends and family get scammed. If you’re “tech-savvy” this may seem like a benign video but 10s of thousands are being scammed on a regular basis.

[@sinebar]

You can be scammed even if you're tech savvy. Scammers come up with new and sneaker ways to scam people everyday. Don't assume because you are technical you can't be scammed.

[@livenfree]

Yeah exactly 100% agree with you. Why isn't Facebook putting this information out?

[@chrisfaub4071]

@@sinebar you need nothing more than common sense to not be scammed it is so easy to spot scams yet so many people fall for them.

[@Coopdog1911]

You can get scammed yes, but then sometimes you get some great deals. Keep your instincts forefront, and your eye's open. Usually if something is too good to be true, it probably is.

[@user-qm7nw7vd5s]

At least one suggestion doesn’t always apply. I made a legitimate purchase on Facebook marketplace where the seller absolutely insisted on Venmo, would not accept PayPal (which I am more familiar with, and has excellent consumer protection). Would not accept ANYTHING but Venmo. As it turned out, I happened to have a Venmo account which I rarely use, which had leftover a modest balance, enough to cover the purchase. It was a large item, needing shipping which had to be paid for before the seller could release it for pick up. Got an excellent deal, happy ending.

[@darthfb]

"Is this available" and can "I pick it up today" Is what I say if I want the item, and could pick it up that day. Never had a bad interaction. I've also been communicated to this way multiple times and never had a bad interaction.

[@povertylevelphilanthropy1524]

Consider your experience unusual, then.

[@crabby7668]

Why would someone ask these questions first rather than about the condition of the item for example, or other more obvious queries?

[@Rushtallica]

Often if there are enough views in pics and the items aren't complex, the condition is apparent, and questions such as "Is it still available" and "can I pick it up today" are very obvious and common queries, themselves, though I'll always at least include the name of the item as well as what the general part of town I'm in to help figure out a place to meet. I've never had anyone try to scam me on FB market but would immediately blow off and report an obvious scam such as the video outlines.

[@crabby7668]

@@Rushtallica thanks, just wondered

[@Rushtallica]

@@crabby7668 You're welcome. And I'm not sure sometimes how my posts come across. I do need to take into consideration that others have experienced a lot of problems, and I have seen a lot of listings saying not to bother asking if the item is still available.

[@JL-zn7me]

The bottom line is, there is NO reason to give out your phone number! I’ve had SO many scammers message me, it’s frustrating. Please remember to sell at a safe location as well! I was selling a pricey coat. I had a detailed conversation with a woman through Facebook. When I told her I would meet her at our local police station, she completely disappeared! Never be afraid to be too safe! If you lose a sale, it wasn’t worth it anyway!!! BE SAFE!!!

[@thomasjoseph5876]

Wrong. The bottom line is after someone asks for your phone number and says they want the product you are selling there is no reason for any of the other garbage. If they simply don't ask for a time and place to meet up, THEN you ignore them. Having your phone number does NOTHING for them. You can find people's phone numbers literally EVERYWHERE including this big thing called A PHONE BOOK. If they say they need further proof of anything from or about you, then you simply ignore them. Game over.

[@Triggerman2505]

@@thomasjoseph5876 you hit the nail on the head I completely agree.

[@annanderson7]

I have sold a few things on the marketplace, and always had them meet me at our police station. I would never meet anywhere else!

[@charlottekluever180]

I sold a dresser and table and chairs. I did get scammers who wanted the verification codes and such. Some wanted to use Venmo. I’m not loading up furniture to take to a police station. After arrangements were made to meet me at my house, I gave them my phone number. Told them cash only. Worked out fine. But the scammers were annoying. Just good to get rid of my stuff.

[@turn-n-burn1421]

After all the notorious things that have happened through Craigslist, regardless of what medium the seller uses, if I'm supposed to go to their chosen location, I'm carrying concealed.

[@upnorth6722]

Met me at the local police station under their cameras in the parking lot at this time . Bring me cash only . It works too .

[@speedfreak8200]

Contact the police station and tell them what you're doing is gd

[@bikeman1x11]

ours has a "online selling area" with lights and cameras-- I have people meet me there and cash only

[@marcjtdc]

yep that is what I do.

[@andrewgageable]

​@@speedfreak8200give the police station's or your state Attorney General's phone number when they ask for your number 😂😂😂

[@Kristinapedia]

@@speedfreak8200 A lot of police stations have designated areas or parking spaces for this exact purpose so no need to call them.

[@sinebar]

NEVER give out any kind of number. Phone number, DL number, SSN, Medicare number etc.

[@KabobHope]

Oh, go ahead. Live dangerously.

[@gulfportflamefighter4545]

@sinebar Why? How can a person contact you to talk about the item? I would rather talk with someone I can get a feel for what type person it is. Request code I would never do but phone number yes.

[@dubliners0999]

I always check out who the buyer is. Several times they have no last name and even if their page is not newly created all of their communication with friends and family is in another language. This tells me they’re not even in the United States. It’s a great way to try to filter out some of the scammers. Your hint about not giving out phone number is also a good one.

[@davidsco27]

The latest is their account is "locked"

[@lous3772]

Or if you look at the photos posted, the people in the different photos posted over time are all the same and are all wearing the same clothes-because they took photos at one time and them post them over several weeks to make it look like they’re had their account t for a while if someone was just glancing quickly.

[@deliarealtor]

Yes, and cash only, when they pick up the item.

[@conephompany]

I'm not on Facebook and made a fake account with a real first name and fake last name solely to buy used car

[@jill-go7gd]

One of the worst things about this marketplace is the buyer agrees to meet you then doesn't show up.

[@HobbyOrganist]

See that a LOT where people actually put that in the ad about how a puppy or other things they offere is still available due to a no show etc

[@rgruenhaus]

One asked me to bring the item I was selling to them and my ad said it was a pick up my home. The town they wanted me to bring it to was over an hour away! One asked me how much? It's listed with the price!

[@darleneclark896]

I've had a seller who I was to meet then she sold it to someone else while I was on my way to meet her. Are people just not so reliable??

[@jill-go7gd]

@@darleneclark896 integrity is a thing of the past, with some.

[@joannesinspirations]

Just have them pick it up from your house.

[@RT10Viperman]

Its a shame because I used to use all these methods to sell stuff but the environment has gotten completely out of hand with all the scammers out there. Youre right about them coming up with new ways to rip you off. Its crazy

[@mrBDeye]

Indian scammers are not clever. They are targeting not so clever fools.

[@rhk3482]

The red flag is NOT the exchange of phone numbers-which is a normal way of doing business-but requesting a two factor authentication code to be sent to them. This is what you're not supposed to do with two factor codes.

[@RT10Viperman]

@@rhk3482 I didnt say anything about phone numbers

[@phillhuddleston9445]

@@rhk3482 Yep, I've used peoples phone numbers to let them know I arrived at the meeting place and to ask for directions on occasion.

[@dfpolitowski2]

Yes, a phone conversation is something you can do to screen that person. @@rhk3482

[@AllenGottfried]

Great Video! Another big tipoff is when they tell you that they are going to have their brothers cousin -- or some weirdly disconnected family member pick up... then they usually ask for phone number which you don't want to give as mentioned in the video. I also highly recommened that people watch channels including scammer payback and pleasant green -- these guys are great scam baiters and you will learn a lot about all the crazy scams out there.

[@rettpanda6203]

Literally! Just had that happen to me.

[@charlottekluever180]

@@rettpanda6203same here.

[@danburch9989]

I watch them all the time

[@JohnSmith-uk1vb]

Scammer payback is a God at what he does.

[@dixiefallas7799]

They use stolen genuine peoples profiles to try to sell vastly underpriced items and they are all over FB marketplace here in the UK too. Cheers for bringing this up and FB needs to sort this out seeing as they are very quick at fact checking everything you post on your actual real account! Thanks 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@darellpiper7227]

I think Facebook is just as dishonest as any scammer. They 100% Can not be trusted. If you call someone an idiot they will block it but allow scammers to cheat thousands of people and do nothing.

[@redmed10]

Especially cars at the moment.

[@JaneNewAuthor]

I've complained to Facebook, especially when these people use obviously fake accounts. Facebook refuse to act.

[@DavidK-uv8oe]

Google voice should be also adding an explanation of what the verification code is for. Then the victims would know it isn't a verification code for identity, but a verification code to setup a google voice account. Google is enabling this scam.

[@michaelboydston9668]

I'm a victim of this.

[@aspensugar13]

Did you take your number back? I read how you can go into Google voice and remove your number. If you don't they are still using your number to scam others

[@JHRIRS2010]

Google doesn’t care!

[@anthonyrobu8633]

To be fair, from a buyers side/perspective, FB marketplace auto generates the first msg sent to a seller with the beginning of it as ; Is this item still available?" It doesn't matter if you (the buyer) delete it from the beginning of the message or not. FB Marketplace will always insert it to the start of the first response msg. Most sellers will automatically think it's a scam and just not reply to it. It is very frustrating as a buyer because your chances of getting a reply are slim to none. On the other hand you are correct on the giving out your phone # part. The buyer and seller already have an open dialog through messenger. As long as the seller actually responds to the potential buyers msg.

[@sbffsbrarbrr]

You can just delete that part of the message. I never send "is this available" only when I want to purchase an item. I may leave it at the beginning but always add a more personal message about the item. From my experience as a seller, at least 70% of inquiries with only "is this available" are people hitting that button by mistake.

[@anthonyrobu8633]

@@sbffsbrarbrr If I am remembering correctly the buyer would have to hit/click on 2 separate things to contact the seller. 1 to auto-generate the message then, 2. to actually send that message. So it shouldn't be a simple finger fumble, but I guess it may be possible. I've come across many sellers that just see the msg preview, which only shows the first 3 or 4 words, and by seeing the same exact auto-generated msg in the preview they just ignore it. As I previously stated also, Messenger puts the general "Is this still available" even despite deleting it from the fist message/inquiry. FB messenger for marketplace has several problems/bugs to it and IMO has never worked correctly, making it inherently flawed for buyer/seller communication. Messages sent through it end up appearing in a sub-category labeled as Marketplace in messenger that you have to go into in order to view individual messages to seller listings rather then appear as a normal message sent by any other individual person in messenger. It's tricky to explain it and properly convey what I'm intending to say.

[@paulaharrisbaca4851]

Don't you think Facebook is entirely too involved with the doings of its "subscribers"? Simply the fact that FB started pushing this millions of genders ideology when they were once just personalities made me creeped out.

[@blaster-zy7xx]

@paulharris…. Turn off Fox News. It turns brains into mush.

[@mrsmith8737]

The first tip off that someone is a scammer is that the message they send you doesn’t even mention the actual item you are selling.. They don’t care what you are selling. They didn’t sit there and type a message to send to you specifically to inquire about the item you are selling. What they did was cut and paste a general message that could be sent to anyone selling anything. I’m willing to bet that in most cases they actually speak very little English and are doing what they are told by some other scammer…

[@mrBDeye]

You’re talking about Indian Scammers.

[@pattijack]

Marketplace has the phrase “is this available” automatic to hit and send.

[@kava2021]

that is perfect example of knowing is someone is scamming. So asking them questions about what they want is a good way to detect if they are scammers.

[@clairedesrosiers7398]

Look, I’m French… but my English is not always « perfect » but i,m not a « wirdo » and certainly not fool any body, i wouldn’t feel good to do such of think. Don’t judge any one by accent plz. But be aware of fake sale!

[@lordlucan7655]

@@mrBDeyeI thought they all work for the IRS as Mr John Jones

[@billbombshiggy9254]

I don't do Facebook checkout. It's LOCAL CASH ONLY when I sell on Facebook, which I rarely do these days.

[@nomusicrc]

Great video no annoying intro no music playing while you're talking just straight to the point thumbs up😊

[@WhiteDove73-888]

Why do anti humans hate music?

[@sarahdeshay1394]

As a thrift store owner who uses marketplace frequently I can tell you that I get the “I need your phone number to make sure you are real” almost every add I place. I always put our landline number in the add along with hours of operation and physical address but that doesn’t stop them from trying to scam us. I can just imagine how someone new must get attacked by these people. We get the “I am out of town and will send my son (or whomever) to pick it up but need a phone number” line often.

[@SGaryNinja]

"Is this still available, I can pick up today" is completely normal to me. Maybe your vid is why I didn't get some return messages! The phone number thing is weird though. Good to know.

[@thymekiller]

Me too.

[@sandybruce9092]

Perhaps I’m just a stupid old lady but the easiest way to avoid Facebook Marketplace scammers is not to use it!!!!!

[@carolinav980]

No your not ,I'm not old and I don't even have Facebook. Or any social media, never cared for it

[@sandybruce9092]

@@carolinav980 I rarely even go to FB even though I have a few pages for my genealogy and quilting - my favorite things to do! I don’t even have a photo of me on there - and I absolutely refuse to post any photos of family, especially our young grandchildren!!

[@That-Ninja]

There's an idea 💡

[@Triggerman2505]

I felt the same, however there are really good deals there so I started to use it. However, I don't share my picture or personal information at all.

[@kimberlyfrost4730]

Why would you even bother to click on this video if you don't even have a facebook account? Just trying to show your intellectual prowess? LOL Like that's even likely.

[@lemonflavoreds4312]

‘Is this available ? ‘ is a default question on FB marketplace

[@copic8241]

Egg zackly! Thank you

[@shawnn6926]

It's a button to click for lazy people. I always type something like "if you still have this, can I pick up after work". I hate the people that are too lazy to remove the item after it's sold.

[@dinosaur6756]

Very informative. I just wanted to clear up one thing you said. Price gouging is typically charging well above market value during times when products are scarce (like during covid). You're talking about heavy discounting, which, like you said, is almost always a red flag. It usually occurs on big ticket items like motorcycles and ATV's, cars, trucks, and things like RV's. If you see an RV that would normally sell for $50,000 advertised for much less, say $10k or $15k, it is a scam. If you see an ATV advertised for $500 that would normally sell for $2000, it's a scam. If you contact the person and offer them a price that is substantially lower than what they are asking and they immediately agree, it's a scam. If it seems to good to be true, it is.

[@dariscombs7168]

And a golf carts which is about $3500 for a good one, not $1000 which almost got me!

[@vaderladyl]

This is why is important to learn the real value of things so you know if the price matches the value on the market.

[@tankzilla6785]

I'm no scammer and I've asked those to questions before and gone and picked up the item that day sooo not all ppl who asks those 2 questions are scammers

[@joycewright5386]

I have bought and sold many items on Facebook marketplace. Never had an issue. I even bought a large cabinet for several hundred dollars and the seller said it would be on her front porch, just leave cash under the mat.

[@karenrobres6181]

same here. We've called dozens of sellers to work out the details, never a problem.. "is this available" isn't a scam, but an auto message when you tap the ad. I know some people don't have common sense, but you are missing out on great deals. Bought a bmx bike, like new, for $20 tonight. 😂

[@marygamez1027]

What do u do if u do give them your phone number and the verification code? Who can I notify of this scam which I didn't have a clue about?

[@mindibear]

@@marygamez1027Add your phone number to your current google account and it will be removed from the scammer’s Google account.

[@thehumanpulse2]

@@marygamez1027 google it!

[@KeebaSims]

Well good for you, I've never had a PROBLEM, but I've had these things happen to me and I didn't fall for them!

[@nssomedude]

My favorite pastime is to "send the code back" but it is just a random number, I keep doing this as long as they stay interested in trying to get a code.😅 that way they are not scamming someone else for those 10 to 20 minutes.

[@bobhunt595]

Nss: I like that idea hahaja

[@anjalanakila]

Thank you so much! I totally got scammed, and my husband happened to see your video on KZbin and forwarded it to me. The exact same thing as what you described happened to me, and I was able to have it rectified on Google Voice. So I just want to say thank you and never stop doing what you were doing, you are a hero!

[@josephyeo6966]

Not disagreeing with all the tips you gave. All you need is just ONE tip. Do not use social media to buy or sell. Better still, do not use social media at all.

[@mrnobody4771]

You literally posted this on a social media platform.

[@josephyeo6966]

@@mrnobody4771 Yes there are people who does not know how to use social media to their advantage, like making monetary transactions. I suppose the advice would be better phrased as "Look, read, and move on".

[@David-rz7jj]

​@@mrnobody4771You Tube is not social media. Never was, never will be.

[@RichM0410]

Amen

[@mmhthree]

I don't answer any phone call or text message to my phone, if they aren't in my contact list. That helps too... I set it up where my phone only rings for my contacts.

[@servantofjc316]

the 1st 2 questions are very standard for a buyer. I have purchased many things using those 1st two questions there is no red flag. The 3rd question is the red flag.

[@yvonneost12]

To be honest one of the worst things that happens on F/Marketplace is the bloody time wasters , back & forth with msg's sometimes 10 to 15 of them when 2 would do if they are genuine buyers when can I pick up and where from , that should be it . I'm so over all the dead beats that waste my time then don't turn up then completely ghost you when you ask what is going on , If I had a $1 for every one of them I would be rolling in $$$ Oh !!! and the same goes for how many grand-mothers that died suddenly so they could'nt turn up OMG it is sickening.

[@ROSS4422]

My rule is, the more questions they ask back-and-forth, the less chance there is they're going to buy my item.

[@DavidLGood]

I appreciate the video, and actually enjoyed seeing paper notes over the typical motion graphics so common elsewhere. It was fun. The scam progression needs, however, to start at your STEP 2. "Is this still available" is the default prompt in Facebook Marketplace. You literally have to type nothing and just hit the 'Send' button and that message will appear. And asking if you can pick it up today is super common. Shoot... those two things are what just about everyone has asked me that ended up buying products from me. Just because it was common for scammers to say, according to the report you talked about, doesn't mean it's exclusive to scammers. It is used by scammers because it's used by EVERYONE. Otherwise, nice job on this video (from a security guy who did scam videos for years).

[@MultiCassie12345]

The person qualified the response as immediately after posting the item for sale, you would get the canned response. The important detail being "immediate". Scammers are watching and waiting for new posts. I have never used the canned phrases automated by FB. I typically will have a real question about any item advertised that the seller did not state, like the dimensions of furniture. If the seller does not answer, that is the end of the inquiry.

[@valsorrell6160]

I use marketplace quite a bit, for selling…..plus several local Facebook groups sites that are for nearby towns. However I’ve often had the 2 standard messages come through and just reply “yes still for sale. Then await any contact. This last week I had someone say he could collect later today & ask if I accept bank transfer- I said no, cash only. ( £20 ?!! Who can’t lay their hands on£20! )..Never heard back. Luckily someone else was interested and bought the item with no problem! Plus I sometimes check their profile details , If it’s not fairly local I’m not interested.

[@annabelle6058]

Nooooo 😂 Your tip #1 (pickup today) has been my go-to initial message (word for word, actually 🤣) to literally every seller I’ve ever bought from over the years! I thought it just showed I was a serious buyer. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I guess now I need to come up with a new greeting 😅

[@bojack2740]

😂Same

[@RobinB.1]

My husband and I were just scammed $100 last week. I just started using Marketplace so when I sent a message about a washer and dryer and was asked if I could send an etransfer to hold for a few hours while my husband borrowed his sons truck as others were interested in picking up the items, we agreed! Big mistake!! Will never use etransfer again !! Learned our lesson!! 😫

[@isay207]

Yes cash only

[@Sanslab-wu8tv]

When posting an item for sale on Marketplace, you should always say cash only, no phone numbers, no codes, no holds, price is firm.

[@ninapolley5363]

exactly

[@Taylaen]

Nope! I want a receipt or way to retrieve my transaction. Cash is not traceable. Any legal advisor says: receipts with full description.

[@billsmith2212]

I have gotten the code request on Craigslist . When they sent their " personal Email " and ask you to respond = NO . My terms : Cash at the curb , daylight hours . No one gets in the house or backyard . The bathroom is at the corner gas station . It's even better from a Las Vegas area code !😄

[@johnward8064]

I tried Facebook marketplace, because it really fit what we were trying to do (furnish a new house with old style furniture). I just gave up. Too many scammers.

[@vaderladyl]

Better using thrift stores, Goodwill and lots of patience.

[@landofahhs_1]

Honestly, I've used Facebook market place and after being frustrated by items that are no longer available or unclear in their descriptions I've begun asking people if the item is available before I bother taking any other steps as well as asking for a phone conversation to feel out the sellers legitimacy. You have good advice, but I'm not sure asking for a phone call or if the item is available is actual confirmation of a scam as opposed to the first steps to gain trust in a deal. 😊

[@jamiee11]

I do as well.

[@thomasjoseph5876]

@@jamiee11 That's why the first part of her video is useless. EVERYONE asks if it is available. I just bought some plastic barrels from a guy on Marketplace. The first thing I did was ask if they were still available. When he said yes, I told him I wanted to buy them. Then I met up with him to get them. The issue comes with the garbage AFTER asking for their phone number. I ask for their phone number as I don't have a "real" Facebook account. I only have one that I use for purchasing or selling stuff on Marketplace. I put NONE Of my personal info on Facebook, nor do I make posts or put pictures on that account. When I get their phone number, I just text them after that for pickup or details about the product. If someone wants more info from me or wants me to jump thru hoops to purchase a product I am selling or something I want to buy, I just ignore them and move on.jj All you need is a way to contact them to purchase or see the product and then a place to meet up, NOTHING MORE. NO BS verification crap or anything. Facebook does little to nothing to protect their buyers and sellers.

[@lisaobrien4898]

Same here. I want their phone number before I leave to go get the item, just in case I can't find their house or apartment, which has happened a few times. They don't always reply back on Facebook when I'm in their neighborhood unable to find where they are, in which case, I just go home empty handed.

[@HobbyOrganist]

That's the thing, sellers often list the item in MULTIPLE places and forget to take the ads down after its sold, so you definitely dont want to drive over to someone's house only to lear the item was sold days ago, you HAVE to ask if its still available, and as a seller they have to know you intend to BUY for sure as other people may ask about it while you dally around on it. I wouldn't take on line payments or give my cell out, they come, like the item and pay CASH, or they don't like the item and go away. Another annoyance was I listed a woodworking tool on the marketplace, a local-ish guy said he would take it, would I take $40 instead of the $50 I had it listed for, yeah ok, he asked where to pick it up from, I start to respond and before I can fully do so he texts back a "nevermind, I just found another one" and I'm like WTF??? it was like a $125 brand new never used, with the original box, I had it priced $50 he offers $40 and then finds another one I assume maybe $2 cheaper and stiffs me after wasting my TIME! @@lisaobrien4898

[@Rosarium2007]

@@lisaobrien4898why not just look up the location on Google Maps before leaving home so you can verify you can find their location? Street view is very helpful.

[@amieinnovascotia3237]

Another clue is “my movers are helping me with moving my stuffs”. Stuffs? I always respond with “ FB requires that all communication between buyers and sellers be through the Messenger platform”. My listings are always “cash preferred, please”. I’ve told the scammers “cash preferred is no a polite suggestion”. Never give your street address until you’re sure the buyer is on their way. Don’t give out an email address either.

[@theferalprogressive1160]

I put a post on our neighborhood FB page for a dog I found. I got a text saying I think you found my pet but I need to confirm you’re not a scammer so I’m gonna send you a code… just like they do are marketplace ads. I sent a picture of the DOG and asked, “ is this your CAT?” They replies, yes, that’s my cat, please send me the code.

[@hgj2019]

Great information! I will add that when the “buyer” insists that you call them they can easily capture your phone number if you call.

[@Hankster651]

Excellent video. I wish I would have seen it four days ago before I placed an ad on Marketplace. Everything that followed that mistake occurred exactly as you've described it. Fortunately I have enough savvy that I did not get bitten but I I'm sure many do fall for the scams. I deleted the ad 24 hours after posting. The whole experience was just downright sad. I hope it's ok that I just placed a link on Facebook to this video. I think it needs to be seen by many people. Thank you for the video it's a job well done!

[@aura5308]

Great info! I get these types of messages all the type by ignoring them or even calling them scammers. And all of a sudden, they stopped texting me. 😳

[@MrCrispyduck]

The graphics on this vid are amazing 😂

[@dougk7075]

Good info. Thanks for the video. One method or so that seems to weed out what appears to be scammers is I ask them if they are in or near my area as part of my first response. Most scammers seem to disappear after that question, plus it seems to disrupt their auto responses. Also, if they press too hard about wanting my phone number I tell them we can do all the communicating via Facebook Marketplace, for instance. Lastly, if I am selling an item (always cash only) I usually ask the buyer to email me five minutes before they arrive at our pre-arranged meetup locale, which is normally 2 to 3 minutes from me. I tell them I will not head to the locale until I hear from them. Good luck to all.

[@guinealove3744]

Thank you so much for this information. They are getting more and more creative at stealing. Imagine if they used this much energy towards something productive.

[@gus892]

Ive had buyer come , check out a number of items and say they will think about it. and come back at night and steal the items they were shown.

[@evlynealeshire5850]

@@gus892That’s terrible. Some people are so evil. 😒

[@earlgreco8636]

Thank You so much for informing the public and helping to keep us safe.

[@TrueNomadSkies]

I used to get scammers all the time trying this. Another one that started happening more is when they pretend to wanna offer trades and send you a fake link to their fb marketplace profile. Also had people claim to have some fake shipping company take care of the transaction and want you to pay them. By far the biggest however is when scammers are selling things and want you to send them money ahead of time and refuse cash or otherwise a meetup. Also had fishy situations where people come to get things or claim to be sending money, but I'm waiting and waiting for it to come. I wanna make it easy for people as money is money regardless and don't like the idea of losing a sale but I'm really close to saying cash only in the future for everything just to eliminate the hassle of e transfers as a seller.

[@ScreamingEagleFTW]

its not a red flag to exchange phone numbers, its a red flag if they want a verification code.

[@sbffsbrarbrr]

There is no need to exchange phone numbers if you are already on messenger. For what reasons?

[@ScreamingEagleFTW]

to make sure they are a legit person and not someone from some 3rd world country thats going to scam you. also to feel the person out to see if they are honest or are a dangerous person. Especailly if their profile isnot very old or they dont have much on their profile. @@sbffsbrarbrr

[@edhuber3557]

@@sbffsbrarbrr Last month, I drove 70miles to buy an enclosed trailer. I checked their address & number to help make sure it's legit. Also, if I get lost or have an issue en route, I can call. I agree with ScreamingEagle....it is not the phone number (which is given numerous times in daily life); it is the return code or link.

[@AHD2105]

Number 1 is weird. People just use the messenger. We usually give the address just before the scheduled time. I live in an island though, not really anywhere for a criminal to run. And word gets around pretty quickly.

[@Valeyism]

Thanks for this video. I am selling on Facebook market place in Switzerland, and yes in French I had the email and phone number requested from the buyer. I thought it was a really strange request. That is not even talking about the one that want to 3 times the price of the item and using some crazy pick up delivery service. Beware Guys.

[@kencotton4645]

The scam I encounter most often on Facebook is the buyer telling me they are not from the area where they are advertising the item. For instance, they advertise in the Charlotte NC area, but when you contact them, they are located in Texas or some other far away state. They want you to buy the item sight unseen and they will ship it to you. If a seller does not want to allow you to physically inspect the item, then it is probably a scam.

[@blaster-zy7xx]

Yup, that is the biggest scam on FBMP. She should have covered that one.

[@redmed10]

If you can't see it and touch, don't buy it.

[@jimmyday9536]

I state in my ad that any reply of simply "is this still available" will be deleted as spam.

[@trekgod3]

"Sorry I only communicate thru messenger " and "cash in person only" weed out the scammers pretty quickly

[@itsknotmagic]

I always say...only through messenger and add to protect both of us and have a record....usually any scammer loses interest

[@Juror_Number_Eight]

Thank you for posting this very important information and educating all of us about the methods these scammers use. Informing each other about these methods is hopefully a step in the right direction for making the scammers' "business model" unsustainable.

[@mindofmadness5593]

"Is this still avsailable" is the pre-filled Query by Fb. Accidentally hitting the Send button will send it. Asking for a phone number and wanting to get it Today? What, you want dinner and a movie then ask for your number? Most people know an item tends to have a short life between it getting posted and someone picking it up.Honestly one needs to be more cautious from those 'Sponsored' sellers-I noticws several scams like that.

[@terrallputnam7979]

If a deal seems to be too good to be true, it usually is a scam. If they provide an email address in the description it's a scam.

[@blueskies00]

Seriously?? I'm not a Scammer and have frequently asked for phone numbers because I can't hear f/book text tone and most times I don't see their messages till the next day. Sooooo much easier to talk to people on the phone. Bing bam done. You get your questions answered right away and schedule time, one and done. Of course I won't be so quick to ask as now it looks like a scam. However only a scam till you start asking for codes. I NEVER DO THAT. Oh well.....thats life.

[@gr8latino]

The most rampant thing about online selling is imbeciles that do this: Buyer: “Hi, is this available?” Seller: “Yes” Buyer: (crickets)

[@junkmail1262]

Was almost scammed this way last month. Now it make sense why right away I get 2 or 3 messages. Looked at the their Facebook page and nothing there. Great video!

[@thethirdseashell]

If someone asks if it's still available, I simply respond with, "if it's still listed, then its still available." I've received a few choice words because of my crassness and have probably lost potential buyers, but common sense isnt so common. Additionally, I only do face-to-face meet ups at the local PD; I've had many potential buyers back out of transactions because of this.

[@baggerbenn]

I respond with similar, people are so lazy and or have no interest on buying or rolling through.

[@davefish8107]

Happens on eBay as well, both from sellers and buyers. Some people are just not nice

[@bokings9448]

thanks for the information I knew this was a scam asking for phone numbers but didn't know how it worked, years ago I use to give out my phone number but as time moved on things as changed a lot thanks for explaining how it works

[@InformalGreeting]

I’ve been down the road. As soon as they say they want a code they get blocked and reported.

[@MegaDknox]

I like to give the number to the local sheriff's department and then tell them I used the code to get 20% off breadsticks. It pisses them off. At the end I tell them that I'm a robot. 🤣🤣🤣

[@WJHandyDad]

that was great info. Additional frustrations are the car dealers that post vehicles under for sale by owner and post the "down payment" as the sales price and of course all the random "is it available" messages... 100% of them never respond past "yes, it's available." Not really sure but figure there is some sort of scam there too

[@clodycates]

Yep, unfortunatly everything you said is true. The web is all kinds of scamies. Thank you for educating people about it.

[@yesyourgovlies4805]

You can give out your number without any problems, don't give them anything else or call them with your number blocked I always want a number if I'm going to drive 30 or more minutes I don't want to waste my gas or time and I don't do FB on my cell I am driving this lady brings fear to people I buy and sell all the time just use commonsense. And yes, people come to my house because I am not going to load up a washer and hope the buyer will show up ..

[@kevinspahr6632]

I don't agree with her when she says the first thing is they message you "is this available", because this is an actual button that is on Facebook Marketplace that they give to you to actually show that you have interest in the item

[@bubbalo3388]

Yep, pretty standard common question. Even can pick up today.

[@angelsone-five7912]

I was negotiating the purchase of a classic Mini on FB, it was literally "We are a transport firm, you send us £4,000 and we`ll deliver the car". I kept asking for proof that they had the car but none was forthcoming, they are still sending me invoices now, lol.

[@xJI00]

Nothing wrong with giving your phone number, but it is only for a phone call nothing more. If someone isn’t willing to talk to you in person then there is need for caution. That fact that everyone hides behind messaging and can’t actually communicate directly, wanting to be anonymous creates all these problems. If you can’t talk to me like a normal person I’m not interested in dealing with them, they pose a risk.

[@edhuber3557]

Agreed. Plus, the phone conversation itself can tip off to a shady counterparty.

[@chachavessel]

I called the library about a book "Is it available, can pickup today" I'm reading Charles Dickens as I type this.

[@TheWickkit]

The phrases "is this available" and others are pre written by Facebook messenger as a convenience when you click to message someone from the marketplace ad. Also, I had a fairly complex scam played on me that I ALMOST fell for, if anyone is interested in hearing about that, it's in the replies under this comment.

[@MarceloBenoit-trenes]

I am interested.

[@TheWickkit]

@@MarceloBenoit-trenesI listed a brand new pair of boots for sale on Market Place and the first person to respond was a scammer. All communication was done via messenger or texting so things that I am mentioning in the recounting of the experience were not at the time so obvious because of the time delayed back and forth way that texting and messaging works. Not only do things not jump out as suspicious because of the time that can pass between messages, but we're also in different mindsets throughout the communications. So even if we start out wary about a potential transaction, as time passes and things happen in our daily lives to distract us and our emotions are varied, we may not pick up on certain things that we would have if we'd been in the distraction free, cautious, high alert mindset we'd started out with. Also, we were desperately in need of the money so I was more hopeful that it wasn't a scam. The buyer was in Oklahoma and I'm in Montana but he wanted me to ship them and offered me $100 more than my asking price. He said they were a gift for his sister's birthday. I wasn't going to drop them in the mail until I had gotten the money and successfully withdrawn it from venmo. He gave me the address to ship them to and asked for my email address. I provided my Venmo id name but again, he asked for my email. My fiancé had to take our vehicle out of town so I sent the boots with him to put in the mail in case this went through. I received a very official looking email supposedly from venmo showing that they were holding a payment for the amount the buyer said he'd pay & would release it to my account upon my providing them with the tracking number of the package. So the ball was in my court and he'd done everything he'd said he'd do. I joked with my fiancé maybe we should send an empty box first so we can provide a valid tracking number and then if the money came through we would send the boots and give him the correct tracking number. I scoured through venmo's policies and found out they do have a process where they'll hold a payment back until receiving a tracking number and I told my fiancé to go ahead and mail the boots. Meanwhile, the buyer continued communicating with me as would be expected from someone purchasing a birthday gift directly from a person in another state without the buyer/seller protections offered from a reputable site such as Amazon or eBay. Nothing had changed or shown in my venmo account and something just wasn't feeling right. I had searched for a venmo customer service phone number but hadn't found anything in the app. My fiancé was headed to the post office. I searched the internet instead, found a number to call venmo customer service. I told my fiancé to wait, don't send it yet and called venmo. Luckily, I didn't have to sit on hold forever and got a representative on the phone. She had an accent and didn't quite fully understand my rushed explanation of my predicament but was able to confirm for me that there was no pending payment in my account awaiting a tracking number and so I told my fiancé to not send the boots but if he happened across a big pile of dog crap anywhere to maybe stick that in a box, send it & give me the tracking number. The representative from venmo advised me to change my passwords as a precaution against account breaches. I'm a college graduate with a degree and work history in Information Technology and even though I have been out of the game for a few years, which is an eternity with our rapid technical advancements, I could not think of any possible way for this encounter to have led to a breach of my Google, Facebook or Venmo accounts. I think I changed my Venmo password but wasn't going through it again for Facebook, which just can't seem to get synchronization down when I change my password, or Google which I had recently changed for other reasons and since it controls half of the digital life of anyone who isn't an iCrap user, I didn't feel like going through it again and trying to come up with another usable, rememberable password. I stopped communicating with the scammer and didn't hear back from him either even though he was supposedly waiting on the tracking number also. I ended up pawning the boots for 1/4 of their value and way less than I needed for bills.

[@skibee421]

i am

[@TheWickkit]

@@skibee421 it's written in the replies section under this comment. I tried to keep it short but informative on what happened.

[@stephenpowstinger733]

This is b.s.

[@a68rebel]

Been buying and selling for years on marketplace and craigslist. The seller and the buyer nearly ALWAYS exchange phone numbers so we can communicate. This doesn't mean that someone is automatically a scammer.

[@Triggerman2505]

Great video. I disagree with rhe phone number caution however. I readily give mine out to sellers and expect a phone number back. Never make a payment till you see the item...ever. at 60 yesrs old, im pretty good at sniffing out a scammer...never understood why older people are more susceptible to scams....older and wiser by the day.

[@Mysterious-darkness]

Google what someone can do with your phone number.

[@Triggerman2505]

@@Mysterious-darkness Google what someone can do with your reply here, and the IP address that you're sending this comment from. You just have to rely on your best instinct, this has worked for me throughout my life. Cheers

[@itgirl_nyc]

I sell on marketplace. I get a lot of these - asking for phone number. I NEVER share my phone number. I always say we can communicate via marketplace and then they ghost me. I often wonder why. More I know. Thanks.

[@VrtualMe]

"Is this still available" is the auto-fill phrase in FB marketplace, & the first thing most shoppers want to know. You're telling people to automatically assume 95% of potential customers are trying to scam them. You're needlessly scaring them.

[@dinky101]

Exactly!! 💯. I respond like that! That’s crazy to assume that phrase is a scammer!

[@jimgeorger4452]

how ELSE do you determine If an item is still available? Or offer to pick it up that day?

[@baggerbenn]

Well if it’s listed it’s still, for sale 🤦‍♂️

[@VrtualMe]

@@baggerbenn lots of people leave the listings up after selling the items.

[@mikefulton9682]

I just checked, and when I use FB Marketplace on my laptop, the "is this still available" response is among 3 or 4 precanned responses when you message someone about an item you want to buy, but you can chooses not to select it and type in your own message. I usually let them know I am interested, and ask when is a good time to come and look? I get a good rate of response with those lines.

[@Onedayatatime-vw9bw]

Please don't downplay this video, I'm in my 60s and I knew what she meant, If we get the "Is this still available" just "right after it is posted" then it's possibly something to red flag. I'm grateful for this video and I'll be a little more cautious because times have changed and I need all the insight I can get to stay wise and protected... Thank you for your informative video.😊

[@JAH-iu3yh]

I noticed it’s always a simple female name (Mary, Jane, etc) and YES check how long they’ve been on FB!!!

[@استغفرالله-ث5ث]

Yes her name Mary she tried to scame me today she want to contact her with my phone I answered no than she left

[@jengordon7246]

Wow! I have been selling some things lately on marketplace and just this week-end I got a message from a person here is my number and give me your phone number. I had a bad feeling about this and so I never gave it out.

[@blaster-zy7xx]

I’ll disagree on the phone #. I have had to talk to the actual person to find out details of the item for sale and set up the meeting time and place. You should remove that “tip” and replace it with scams to sell high ticket items. But the seller turns out to be somewhere else and the item is already at ebay shipping ready to go. They will ship it to you and you have 30 days to return it through PayPal if you are not satisfied. The entire thing is a scam and the money will go out and there is no item being shipped and no 30 day guarantee. I have run into that several times on cars, boats, jet skis, etc.

[@GH-cp9wc]

It's always good to be cautious, but it would seem to be human nature to ask the first few questions, including your phone number, for easier more personal communication. I would indeed draw the line at accepting codes and anything beyond agreeing on a time/place to view the sale item. That being said, I have yet to use those types of services.

[@luv2read963]

They don’t need your phone number. Please don’t give it out.

[@punkinsal]

You do realize those are the phrases that come up first in the blank ask a question not just something a scammer asks.

[@raylferrera7914]

I have successfully bought many items from Craigslist, OfferUp and Market Place. I disagree with you. Not all scammers start off with "I'm interested in buying your product". And I like to communicate by phone call or text to make sure they're actual a person. Red flag for asking if they have the product for sale? Some sellers do not give description or specifications about their item they're selling. Red flag for wanting to communicate by phone? Most people I dealt with I texts when I was on my way to meet up. Red flag for not wanting to use the Market Place check out? I will not buy something without checking out the item. Red flag for wanting to haggle? If you see an ad of a 2011 TV for sale for $300, you should politely ask if they are willing to negotiate a fair deal. 2023 TVs are less than $300 now.

[@pipermaisiemae1999]

The 2 phrases you used are pre-written Facebook phrases. I believe they're the most common phrases for scammers or regular people. And it doesn't have to be a marketplace scam it's just a scam to try and get and get you to send them a code. Although I didn't know why they wanted the code. I thought they were just trying to get into my Facebook. So Google play makes much more sense. Thank you.

[@therealxunil2]

Price gouging isn’t what you think it is.

[@FMSTheWord]

I was selling a car on CL, the buyer mailed me a certified check, and asked me to cash it and he included around $2K additional to pay a driver to bring the car to him in California. I smelled a scam so I opted out, not wanting to pay a driver, he was sending me death threats, I said, no problem, I'll drop the check with the police and you can arrange for pickup, haven't heard a word since from the scammer- I imagine it was a fake check

[@556m4]

How do we know that YOU’RE not working with the scammers to prime us with information that would make us fall for the scams easier ??? Huh ? Just kidding. Great presentation. Thanks for the work you’re doing :)

[@556m4]

@@GremmPaltakin Sentence structure and grammar is very poor.

[@larapalma3744]

😂

[@larapalma3744]

​@@556m4well done

[@vaderladyl]

That is why I keep receiving these phone calls with local phone numbers with the name of random people on them, that looks suspiciously like stolen numbers and names. They do the same with addresses.

[@TPranara]

Scammers can spoof random numbers, if they make the call from a pc. This was confirmed when I required with a service provider.

[@rolenrodes1371]

Once I see they want some code, I'm done....

[@normbograham]

I wanted to sell a door, fairly quickly, so, first $20 took it. I was drowning in responses. I was trying to sell it to leave town in hours, yet, all the responses, put me in a bind. I got a bad review, for not responding fast enough. ouch.

[@dao-D]

Another tip: scammers usually call whatever you are selling an "item". Great video 🖤

[@mikemccormick8115]

People on Facebook are particularly vulnerable to scams in the first place, when the corporation of FB has been scamming them all along, using their personal identities for their own profit, among other things.

[@sebastiansotelo8166]

What happens if I gave them my phone number but I never sent them the code? Can they still do something with just my phone number? I never sent them the code but they still have my number, I am worried.

[@Jillian_40]

Nope as long as you never sent the code, they were unsuccessful in their attempt. They needed that code to be able to login to your google account. More then likely they used your phone number to try to claim they forgot password and once you share the code it would have allowed them to login to your google

[@Elmwood-ze3cr]

The one i see in England a lot is someone selling a bulky item ie A sofa, Garden furniture etc saying " I can deliver " usually for a small fee £30 ish so people think well bring it and if i decide not to buy ive only lost £30, the item NEVER gets delivered and is still for sale for a few days afterwards which no doubt plenty of others have also lost there £30s , great video

[@MISTERLeSkid]

After 3 long minutes, I gave-up. This is soooo full of crap. The first thing I ever do for any listing is ask for a phone number if none is provided, as I will want to ask questions and size-up the seller. I always include my own number so they can call me if they prefer. I didn't bother watching the rest, since the very first thing you're teaching is for people to not trust legit buyers such as myself. Good job.

[@gailo809]

Thank you for this video. I am about to use Facebook Market place as a seller and I found this video very informative.

[@Zeropainter420]

Such a great presentation. I learned lots

[@FiddlerOnTheRoof2024]

Thank you. Even smart people can make these mistakes and your presentation was clear and preserved dignity.

[@connorp8408]

I ignore the first few messages I get when sending. However, "is it available" and "today pickup" is what I lead with

[@BA-ef4pr]

I saw a new way of stealing money from the buyer. The seller says they will deliver, but the delivery fee must be paid up front. In this case, the item listed for $60 and the delivery fee, for less than 10 miles, was $40.

[@Itzsweetniss]

A new version of this scam is not related specific to marketplace. They contact you from an account of one of your fb friends they already hacked. They ask for your phone number, use it to shut you out of it, then proceed to do it to your friends.

[@johnmack537]

“Price gouging” is NOT “below market price”.

[@dinky101]

Check their account, don’t send email info or phone number. Pay with cash, meet in a public place. But don’t exclude just because of how they respond to your add. Just be cautious.