Facebook Marketplace Scams: How to Spot Them and Sell or Buy Safely

Does this match what you see?

• A buyer says they need to “verify you’re a real seller” and asks you to send back a code that just arrived by text.
• You get an email or SMS saying the buyer has paid, but the money isn’t in your account yet.
• A buyer “accidentally” pays too much and asks you to send the difference back.
• A seller asks for a deposit or delivery fee before you’ve seen the item, often saying many people want it.
• Someone sends a link to “receive your payment”, “confirm your listing” or track a delivery.
• The other person wants to move the chat to WhatsApp, Telegram, email or a phone call straight away.
• The price is far below what the item normally sells for, and the seller can’t show it in person.

iPhone & iPadAndroidComputer (browser)

These scams work the same way in the Facebook app and on facebook.com, and in every country. Payment methods differ (cash, bank transfer, PayPal and other payment apps), but the rules below apply to all of them.

Why this happens: the possible causes

Each scam below has one giveaway. If you spot it, you can stop before anything is lost.

• Codes are valuable to scammersCheck this first

  The FTC describes scammers posing as buyers on sites like Facebook Marketplace who ask for a Google Voice verification code. With it they can set up a number linked to yours and use it to scam others. The same trick works with WhatsApp and Facebook login codes, which can help someone take over your accounts.

• Fake proof of payment is cheap to makeCheck this first

  Emails that copy payment services, edited screenshots and fake text-message alerts all look real at a glance. The FTC describes scammers spoofing PayPal emails, and Consumer Affairs Victoria warns about fake payment-service emails with a login link.

• Moving off Facebook removes the trailPossible

  The FTC warns about sellers who push buyers away from a marketplace’s own system. On Facebook Marketplace most local deals are paid in person anyway, so the real warning sign is being pushed off Facebook early, before you’ve met. Once you move to another app, Facebook can’t see the conversation, and reporting the person is harder.

• Urgency stops you thinkingPossible

  “Someone else is coming in an hour”, “pay now or lose it”, “I’m traveling, my driver will collect”. Meta notes that scammers often create a false sense of urgency.

If you’re selling: the four scripts to know

Almost every scam aimed at sellers is one of these. None of them involves the buyer simply turning up, checking the item and paying.

If you’re buying: warning signs in a listing or seller

• The price is far below normal, especially for phones, laptops, cars, game consoles and rentals.
• You’re asked to pay before you see the item: a deposit, a “holding fee”, delivery or customs charges.
• The seller can’t meet and has a story about why: abroad, deployed, traveling, “my agent will deliver”.
• The payment method is unusual: gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, or an account in a different name from the seller.
• The profile is brand new or has no real activity, or the photos appear elsewhere online.
• You’re pushed to decide fast: “someone else is paying in an hour”.

Rentals deserve extra care: never pay a deposit for a room or apartment you haven’t viewed, and check that the person showing it is really the owner or an authorized agent.

How to fix it, step by step

Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and only move to steps that sign you out or remove data later.

Report it as a scam: Meta’s steps

Meta says that if you think something is a scam, you should stop communicating with the buyer or seller and report it. Our advice: choose Scam as the reason.

A listing

Open the listing, tap or click Options (on a computer, below the listing title), then Report listing > Scam (in the apps: Report listing > Continue > Scam). Follow the on-screen instructions.

A seller

• iPhone, iPad and Android: Marketplace > Profile > Inbox, tap the listing to open your messages with the seller, and tap the seller’s photo. Then: iPhone tap Report > Scam; Android tap Options > Report > Continue > Scam; iPad tap Something’s wrong > Scam.
• Computer: Marketplace > Buying, click the seller’s listing, click the seller’s name, then Options > Report > Scam.

A buyer

• iPhone, iPad and Android: Marketplace > Profile > Your Listings (iPad: tap Options at the top right to reach it; see how to report a buyer), tap the listing, tap your messages with the buyer (See All if needed), tap the buyer’s photo, then Options > Report > Scam.
• Computer: Marketplace > Selling > Seller dashboard, click the listing the buyer purchased, click your message with them (See More if needed), then More options > Report > Scam.

Blocked by the person? Ask a friend to report it. Meta’s Scam Protection Center (external site, opens in a new tab) has more on how to avoid scams.

Selling? How to report a buyer

Meta’s steps to report a buyer go through your listing and your messages with them.

• iPhone and Android: tap Menu (top left) > Marketplace > Profile (top right) > Your Listings. Tap the listing the buyer messaged you about or bought, tap your messages with them (See All if you can’t find them), tap the buyer’s photo and then their profile, then Options > Report, and follow the instructions.
• iPad: the same, but Menu is at the bottom right and you tap Options (top right) instead of Profile to reach Your Listings.
• Computer: Marketplace (left menu) > Selling > Seller dashboard > Your listings. Click the listing the buyer purchased, click your message with them (See More if needed), then Options > Report buyer, and follow the instructions.
• Facebook Lite: Menu (top right) > Marketplace > Profile, tap your messages with the buyer, tap Settings, then Report.

If the person has blocked you, Meta says to ask a friend with an account to report it: see can’t report it?.

What Meta’s own Marketplace help says about scams

Meta’s help page About scams on Facebook Marketplace (external site, opens in a new tab) says scams can happen to buyers and sellers, and that some listings are scams themselves. If you think something is a scam, Meta says to stop communicating with the person and report it.

Warning signs in the conversation

• Asking you to move to WhatsApp, phone, text or email, especially early on. Meta says conversations moved off Facebook or Messenger make scams harder to detect.
• Asking you to deal with someone else (for example, a relative of the seller) who isn’t the real account owner.
• People contacting you about a listing outside Marketplace, or a seller messaging or emailing to say something was wrong with your payment.
• Pressure to complete the sale quickly, which Meta says can be an attempt to get around normal safe practices.

Payment scams

• Use trusted payment services, ask to see valuable items in person before paying, and never pay for an item in advance.
• Be careful with fake emails that look like they’re from payment apps such as Zelle or Venmo, asking you to upgrade your account or pay a fee before you can accept money. Always check your account to confirm a payment.
• Never trust a screenshot of a payment as proof.
• Watch for overpayment stories, including buyers who “overpay” for third-party movers, and refund requests from buyers who never actually paid.
• Any request to pay with a gift card. Meta’s in-app help also says not to give gift card details, such as the claim code, to someone you don’t know.

Phishing

Meta says to watch for messages or emails asking for verification codes sent to your phone or email (such as a two-factor or Google Voice code), your email and password, or other personal information. A link that makes you log in with a username and password is likely a scam. Other types Meta names: fake look-alike sites (link manipulation), fake requests from a CEO to transfer money, smishing by text message, and off-platform links to sites that ask for card, bank or ID details. Meta says never to share that kind of information with another person. More: phishing on Facebook.

Extra tips for buyers

• Double-check deals that seem too good to be true. Meta says scammers may use underpriced items to sell defective or fake goods.
• Don’t send deposits for high-value items (apartments, cars) until you’ve confirmed they’re real. Where possible, check the item and its ownership in person or by video chat (Meta’s example: a car’s V5C document).
• Check any tracking number on the delivery company’s own website, and make sure the delivery address and details are correct.
• Review the seller’s profile: ratings and reviews, friends in common, their other listings and Marketplace activity.
• Purchase Protection covers eligible purchases made with checkout on Facebook. Items exchanged in person with cash or other person-to-person payment methods aren’t eligible.
• When buying in person, inspect the item closely before paying, to make sure it’s real, in the expected condition and works.

More from Meta’s “buy and sell responsibly” page

• Make sure you’re logged in to the real Facebook website. If anything looks suspicious, cancel the transaction, stop communicating, report the listing or person and, if necessary, call your local authorities.
• Facebook doesn’t offer refunds for person-to-person transactions, and local pickup paid person-to-person isn’t covered by Purchase Protection. Be especially careful if the item needs to be shipped.
• If you pay by wire transfer or money order, avoid payment links: log in directly on the payment service’s website. Cashier’s and certified checks can be counterfeit.
• Don’t share financial information (such as your PayPal login or bank details) or unnecessary personal information. Meta says Facebook will never ask for your password.
• Reject overpayments, especially with a request to refund the difference: Meta says these are often part of a counterfeit cashier’s check scheme. Don’t agree to extra shipping or unlisted charges after the sale is done.
• Don’t buy gift cards on Marketplace.
• For high-value items (such as watches or luxury bags), ask for a certificate of authenticity or proof of purchase. For a car, compare prices on trusted sites, and consider a vehicle history report and an inspection. Sellers: watch for bouncing checks and fake transport or insurance costs.
• Compare prices before buying, clean items you sell or buy, and clear personal information from electronics before selling them.

After a bad experience, Meta’s Need help with Facebook Marketplace (external site, opens in a new tab) page lists four things you can do: block (external site, opens in a new tab) the buyer or seller, report the buyer, seller or listing, leave them a rating, and contact your local law enforcement if you’re worried about your physical safety, theft or fraud.

Block someone on Marketplace

Meta says that blocking a profile that’s messaging you on Marketplace blocks them on Facebook. Then:

• You can’t see each other’s listings on Marketplace, and you can’t send each other new messages.
• You can both still see messages sent before the block.
• Buyers and sellers can still see ratings and reviews, even from profiles they’ve blocked.
• They aren’t notified that you blocked them.

How to block

• From a Marketplace chat (iPhone and Android): tap Menu (top left) > Marketplace > Marketplace profile > Inbox, open the conversation, tap their photo (iPhone: then View Marketplace profile), tap Options > Block, and confirm.
• From their profile: go to their profile, tap or click Options > Block, then confirm.
• From settings: Settings & privacy > Settings > Blocking (under Audience and visibility) > Add to blocked list, search for them and tap Block. Can’t find them? Meta says you can try an email address linked to their profile.

Good to know

• Blocking one of their profiles doesn’t block their other profiles. If you have additional profiles yourself, you need to block from each one separately, and blocking from several may let them work out that those profiles are yours.
• Meta says blocking may not stop all contact, such as in apps or groups you both use.
• If you unblock someone, Meta says you can’t block them again for a few days.

Meeting in person safely

Meta recommends meeting in a public, well-lit area, and sharing your meeting plan with a trusted friend or family member through Messenger. It also says you can use a shipping option or a pick-up or drop-off service instead. Our extra advice:

• Meet in a busy public place during the day. Some police stations and shopping centers have safe-exchange spots.
• Bring someone with you, and tell a friend where you’re going and who you’re meeting.
• For expensive items, avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Use a bank transfer you can confirm on the spot in your own bank app.
• Don’t invite strangers to your home or go to theirs for small sales. For large items like furniture, have someone with you.
• Trust your instincts. If the plan changes at the last minute to somewhere less public, cancel.

Already shared a code, paid, or sent the item? Do this now

These scams work on careful, ordinary people. Acting quickly limits the damage.

1. Stop all contact with the scammer and don’t send anything else, whatever they promise or threaten.
2. If you shared a code: work out what it was for. For Facebook, change your password and log out of other devices (Facebook hacked). For WhatsApp, re-register WhatsApp on your phone with your number and turn on two-step verification. For a Google Voice code, the FTC points to Google’s steps for reclaiming your number.
3. If you sent money: contact your bank immediately through its official app or phone number, and ask whether the payment can be stopped or recalled. The sooner you call, the better your chance.
4. If you were “paid” with a fake transfer or alert: confirm with your bank that nothing arrived, and don’t release anything else to that buyer.
5. If you paid by card or a payment app: ask your card company or the payment service about a dispute or chargeback.
6. Keep evidence: screenshots of the listing, the profile, the conversation, phone numbers and payment receipts.
7. Report it: report the profile and listing on Facebook (Fix 8), then report the fraud to the authorities below.

Where to report fraud

• United States: the FTC’s ReportFraud.ftc.gov (external site, opens in a new tab).
• United Kingdom: Action Fraud (external site, opens in a new tab).
• Canada: the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (external site, opens in a new tab).
• Australia: Scamwatch (external site, opens in a new tab).
• European Union countries: Europol’s Report cybercrime online (external site, opens in a new tab) page links to the reporting website of each country. Where there’s no online option, report it at a local police station.
• Ireland, Norway, Switzerland and other European countries: your national police (Ireland is also covered by the Europol page above).
• Elsewhere: your national police or consumer-protection fraud reporting service.

Example scam messages (not genuine Facebook messages)

These are typical scripts, written in our own words. The details change, but the shape stays the same.

How to know it worked

• You haven’t sent a code, password, PIN or card number to anyone.
• Every sale was paid in full, checked in your own bank app or account, before the item changed hands.
• Every purchase was paid only after you saw and checked the item.
• Anyone suspicious has been reported and blocked, and you have screenshots.

Still not working? Your next steps

1. If you lost money, keep following up with your bank and file a report with the police or your national fraud service.
2. If someone got into your Facebook account, follow hacked account recovery.
3. If your own listing was removed or your Marketplace access was limited after a report, see listing not showing or removed and Marketplace not showing.

Frequently asked questions