Guide · 5 min read
Facebook Marketplace Scams: How to Buy and Sell Safely
Quick answer
The most common marketplace scams are overpayment checks, fake shipping arrangements and requests for a phone verification code. Meet in person, get paid in person and never share a code.
Online marketplaces are convenient, but buyers and sellers both get targeted. Most scams try to move you off the platform or get you to send money first.
Common tricks
- Overpayment: a buyer 'accidentally' pays too much and asks you to refund the difference.
- Shipping only: a buyer who is out of state sends a 'shipper' and a check.
- Verification codes: someone asks you to read back a code sent to your phone 'to prove you're real'. That code is used to take over your accounts.
- Deposits: a seller asks for a deposit to 'hold' an item that doesn't exist.
Safer habits
Meet in a public place, pay or get paid in person, and never share a code sent to your phone. Be wary of anyone who wants to move the conversation to email or WhatsApp straight away.