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Online seller warns others to be cautious about a new Facebook Marketplace scam
Facebook users, beware! A popular content creator and online seller issued a warning to fellow Facebook Marketplace sellers about a potential scam making the rounds online.
The mum-of-two Petra, who goes by the username @daximumlife29 on TikTok, explained that when she was asked the common question ‘Is this item still available?’, she didn’t think twice about responding to the buyer.
But when they replied: ‘I am busy with work at the moment. I’ll send a UPS letter carrier to your home to give you your money in cash and collect the item.’ she knew that something wasn’t right.
‘You should never accept that as an offer for something you are selling.’ Petra said.
‘I’m not saying that these instances are never genuine but 99 per cent of the time, they are trying to scam you.’
‘They already know your name, your rough location, and other bits and pieces about you from Facebook which you probably don’t even know that they have. Even if you think your Facebook is really secure, this is how they get a hold of your home address.’
‘This is how people scam people out of their data and use it.’
The mum issued a warning on TikTok. Source: @daximumlifelife29
‘All of a sudden it will be like “I need your phone number” and then they’ll be able to access certain information about your item. You’ll never get your money, you won’t sell your item, and someone else now has access to your details.’
A few of Petra’s followers shared similar experiences in the comments, with one saying: ‘Yes, I encountered one of those scammers for a bookcase I was selling and thought it was odd. I said no straight away. Thank you for sharing this with us.’
Another chimed: ‘They will also claim to pay directly into your bank and collect the item but the payment won’t go through.’
These cases are especially scary as your personal data can be used to replicate your identity online and create another Facebook Marketplace account to scam others.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission advises that if the ‘potential buyer is willing to purchase your item without having viewed it in person–even if you are selling an expensive item such as a car–then it becomes something to be suspicious about.’
‘If you are advertising your items for sale through print and online posts, beware of scammers posing as genuine buyers.’ the ACCC warned.
‘Scammers may make up stories such as needing your help to pay an agent or third party for upfront costs like transportation or insurance.’
A UK seller had their identity stolen after a lost ID card was posted on Facebook.
Source: @daximumlife29
She only realised when another unsuspecting buyer showed up on her doorstep, looking to collect an item he believed he had purchased from her online.
The scammer also set up a bank account in the victim’s name and took out loans that she has had to cancel.
‘It’s really scary to know they have my details and I just don’t know when they’re going to stop.’ she said.
Aside from this type of scam, Overpayment scams are also rampant on Facebook Marketplace. The ACCC detailed that they usually target unsuspecting online sellers by claiming that an overpayment was made through a cheque or bank transfer.
‘The scammer will then ask you to refund the excess amount or they will ask for you to forward the amount through to a third party.’ the ACCC said.
‘They might tell you that the extra money was included to cover agent’s fees or extra shipping costs.’
After transferring the excess amount, ‘you then discover that their cheque has bounced or the credit card had been stolen or is fake.’
Petra warned: ‘Be wary! Anything that looks too good to be true usually is.’
What are your thoughts about this scam? Do you use Facebook Marketplace? Let us know in the comments.
Learn how you can stay safe when selling items on Facebook Marketplace by watching the video below:
Source: The Family Flips