Shocking! $10 Facebook Marketplace sale went wrong!
- Replies 4
Since the onset of the pandemic, online selling has surged and continues to do so even after the pandemic.
Among the numerous online platforms for buying and selling items, Facebook Marketplace stands out as a popular choice.
Recently, Katie Summer, a young mum, listed an activity centre toy for her daughter on the platform, pricing it at an affordable $10.
‘So my daughter just turned one and we have a bunch of stuff that we don’t need for her anymore and so we have this toy so I listed it on Facebook Marketplace for $10.’
What happened next, however, left her stunned and confused.
Almost straight away, Katie got a Facebook message from a stranger—an older woman who said she was a grandma and wanted to buy the item for her brand-new grandchild.
Katie happily agreed to the sale and messaged the woman back with the details for a contactless sale, mentioning that she didn't want to risk waking up her napping baby.
‘This very lovely woman messages me and she’s like, ‘I’m a grandma and I would love to buy this for my brand new grandbaby’,’ Katie recalled.
‘So I'm like, 'Oh my God, of course, that's so nice. Can you come at this time tomorrow?’ Katie asked. ‘Yes, no worries,' the woman replied.
However, what happened next wasn't what Katie expected or wanted.
'Can we do tomorrow now? My husband just asked for a divorce and I am shocked. I am 66! And we have been together since we were 13 years old,’ wrote the woman.
As Katie re-read the 'heart-tugging' confession, her first reaction was to just give the woman the item for free. That is, until her husband stepped in, convinced that his wife was being scammed.
‘He's like, “No, she's totally scamming you. She's trying to get this thing for free. She's working you.’" Katie said in her video.
‘My husband is very cynical, but he's convinced that this is her plan and there is no divorce,’ Katie explained. ‘He's like, 'She's probably not even a grandma.'
‘So what? Is he right? Am I being scammed? Am I falling for it? I mean, in this economy, anything is possible, I guess.’
Since then, the mum shared her story on social media, sparking a divided response among her followers.
Some believed the woman was attempting to scam Katie.
‘This happened to me! Except the woman told me she was buying for her baby, and then she messaged saying her boyfriend left her so she couldn't afford it. As I was a single mum at the time, she tugged my heartstrings, so I gave her everything for free. The next day she was reselling everything,’ one shared.
Another said, ‘Totally scamming you. Or desperate for sympathy. One or the other.’
While one added, ‘Just go with it and see if she shows up. It's only $10.’
However, many believed the woman was genuinely an 'oversharer' as she was probably processing the shock split.
‘Looks like shock, and she's just blurted it because she needed to tell someone’ one commented.
One also said, ‘I think she's being honest. It's too weird of a thing to say. Plus it's only 10 bucks. Maybe she was just shocked and had to tell someone.’
While another pointed out, ‘Why would someone give the item for free? Just because she's getting a divorce? I don't think it's a scam. I think she needs a friend.’
Facebook Marketplace - a scam hub?
Unlike some other websites, Facebook Marketplace doesn't have strong protections for buyers, which can make it an easy target for scammers.
There's also no system to check if people are trustworthy before they use it, so you need to be careful.
In 2023, sales statistics indicated that around 270 million active accounts, comprising 13%-16% of them, could be fraudulent.
Furthermore, 1 in 6 users reported experiencing scams, highlighting the prevalence of this issue, and the existence of 95 million fake Instagram accounts further underscores the lack of genuine users in platform transactions.
Understanding oversharing
Oversharing has become increasingly common, particularly when people seek advice or opinions from strangers, believing they can offer unbiased viewpoints.
Research has shown that as people age, they tend to be more prone to oversharing, providing excessive and often irrelevant details in conversations.
This finding is particularly relevant in cases like Katie's, where an unexpected personal revelation took centre stage in what was initially a simple transaction.
While being cautious in online transactions is important, not everyone online has malicious intentions. Balancing caution with trust can be extremely challenging, so it always helps getting other peoples opinions on the situation.
Members, what's your take on this story? Have you had any experiences with Facebook Marketplace that you'd like to share? Share your thoughts and join the conversation below!
Among the numerous online platforms for buying and selling items, Facebook Marketplace stands out as a popular choice.
Recently, Katie Summer, a young mum, listed an activity centre toy for her daughter on the platform, pricing it at an affordable $10.
When shipping products as a business on Facebook Marketplace, you'll incur a 5% selling fee, which is significantly lower than the 14% fee charged on eBay. Image source: Meta.
‘So my daughter just turned one and we have a bunch of stuff that we don’t need for her anymore and so we have this toy so I listed it on Facebook Marketplace for $10.’
What happened next, however, left her stunned and confused.
Almost straight away, Katie got a Facebook message from a stranger—an older woman who said she was a grandma and wanted to buy the item for her brand-new grandchild.
Katie listed a $10 item on Facebook Marketplace and received an unusual message with message receipts as proof. Image source: Katie Summer.
Katie happily agreed to the sale and messaged the woman back with the details for a contactless sale, mentioning that she didn't want to risk waking up her napping baby.
‘This very lovely woman messages me and she’s like, ‘I’m a grandma and I would love to buy this for my brand new grandbaby’,’ Katie recalled.
‘So I'm like, 'Oh my God, of course, that's so nice. Can you come at this time tomorrow?’ Katie asked. ‘Yes, no worries,' the woman replied.
However, what happened next wasn't what Katie expected or wanted.
'Can we do tomorrow now? My husband just asked for a divorce and I am shocked. I am 66! And we have been together since we were 13 years old,’ wrote the woman.
As Katie re-read the 'heart-tugging' confession, her first reaction was to just give the woman the item for free. That is, until her husband stepped in, convinced that his wife was being scammed.
‘He's like, “No, she's totally scamming you. She's trying to get this thing for free. She's working you.’" Katie said in her video.
‘My husband is very cynical, but he's convinced that this is her plan and there is no divorce,’ Katie explained. ‘He's like, 'She's probably not even a grandma.'
‘So what? Is he right? Am I being scammed? Am I falling for it? I mean, in this economy, anything is possible, I guess.’
Since then, the mum shared her story on social media, sparking a divided response among her followers.
Some believed the woman was attempting to scam Katie.
‘This happened to me! Except the woman told me she was buying for her baby, and then she messaged saying her boyfriend left her so she couldn't afford it. As I was a single mum at the time, she tugged my heartstrings, so I gave her everything for free. The next day she was reselling everything,’ one shared.
Another said, ‘Totally scamming you. Or desperate for sympathy. One or the other.’
While one added, ‘Just go with it and see if she shows up. It's only $10.’
However, many believed the woman was genuinely an 'oversharer' as she was probably processing the shock split.
‘Looks like shock, and she's just blurted it because she needed to tell someone’ one commented.
One also said, ‘I think she's being honest. It's too weird of a thing to say. Plus it's only 10 bucks. Maybe she was just shocked and had to tell someone.’
While another pointed out, ‘Why would someone give the item for free? Just because she's getting a divorce? I don't think it's a scam. I think she needs a friend.’
Facebook Marketplace - a scam hub?
Unlike some other websites, Facebook Marketplace doesn't have strong protections for buyers, which can make it an easy target for scammers.
There's also no system to check if people are trustworthy before they use it, so you need to be careful.
In 2023, sales statistics indicated that around 270 million active accounts, comprising 13%-16% of them, could be fraudulent.
Furthermore, 1 in 6 users reported experiencing scams, highlighting the prevalence of this issue, and the existence of 95 million fake Instagram accounts further underscores the lack of genuine users in platform transactions.
Understanding oversharing
Oversharing has become increasingly common, particularly when people seek advice or opinions from strangers, believing they can offer unbiased viewpoints.
Research has shown that as people age, they tend to be more prone to oversharing, providing excessive and often irrelevant details in conversations.
Sharing personal information online is a common practice, though it's generally not advised. Image source: Pixabay.
This finding is particularly relevant in cases like Katie's, where an unexpected personal revelation took centre stage in what was initially a simple transaction.
While being cautious in online transactions is important, not everyone online has malicious intentions. Balancing caution with trust can be extremely challenging, so it always helps getting other peoples opinions on the situation.
Members, what's your take on this story? Have you had any experiences with Facebook Marketplace that you'd like to share? Share your thoughts and join the conversation below!
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