- There are lots of scammers lurking on Facebook Marketplace.
- If you've recently been scammed, first reach out to your bank and ask them to reverse the transaction.
- You can also let the law enforcement know. Change the passwords of your accounts if you believe you've been phished.
While the internet is one of the best places to benefit from, it’s also home for some who can leave you traumatized for the rest of your life. We’re talking about scammers who use people’s guilelessness to rob them of their life savings. If you’ve recently been scammed on Facebook Marketplace and don’t know what to do, here are a few things you should take care of.
Contact Your Bank Immediately
Being the victim of a scam could be a bewildering experience, and it’s easy to start panicking right after. However, if you used a credit or debit card to send money to the scammer, all you need to do is contact your bank and report the fraudulent activity, asking them to reverse the transaction. In most cases, you should easily get your money back.
This is one of the reasons why scammers avoid dealing with the opposite party’s credit or debit cards but gift cards and other payment platforms.
Contact Law Enforcement
Alerting law enforcement and scam agencies should be your next priority before going ahead with the rest of the solutions. Make sure to take proof of payment, screenshots of chats, the profile of the scammer, and the product (if the one you received isn’t exactly as described).
Give them clear and concise descriptions of exactly what happened and how you got scammed. Even the most minor details could give law enforcement a head start and allow them to catch the scammer or come to a resolution sooner.
Reach Out to the Scammer
This may sound stupid, since the chances are high that the scammer may block you or delete their Facebook Marketplace account once they have scammed you. However, there might still be a chance that they haven’t blocked you and are no longer replying to your messages because they messed up by sending the wrong product.
Take screenshots of their profile and your prior conversations for proof and ask them politely to return your money, or you will take legal action against them. If they block the conversation on Marketplace, contact them using Facebook Messenger on their profile.
Report the Scammer to Facebook
While this won’t bring your money back, reporting a seller can at least save others from the scam. Facebook will look into your report and if it’s really a scam, ban the account from the platform.
If You Shared Your Credentials or Other Payment Info
Immediately change your account’s password. Block your cards and wallets, and change the credentials and pins of the same. Similarly, if you installed an app or clicked on a link that could win you a lottery, immediately delete that app and remove anything that you’ve downloaded.
If you shared passwords of your Facebook accounts or the app phished it out for the scammer, change your password immediately. Alert your friends and loved ones not to send money if your account reaches out to them asking for quick and emergency money. Situations like these are why 2FA is so important, and if you haven’t enabled it already, do it now.
Phishing and personal data theft scams are a lot common these days and can rob you of your life savings. We recommend using a password manager like Bitwarden (not sponsored) to get complex password combinations and save them in one place.
Alert Others On The Platform
One of the other things you can do as a good samaritan is alert people about the scam. Today it was you, but the same could happen with others tomorrow. Make sure to explain everything that happened to you and share a few tips with them about how they can avoid it.
We have a dedicated article on the types of Facebook Marketplace scams and how to avoid them. Share it with your family and friends to prevent them from scams like these.
Always Be Vigilant
The next time someone asks you to pay in advance or click on a payment link, decline right away. Deal with people in person; transfer money after checking out the product and closely inspecting it. Never share your credentials; No employee representing a firm ever asks for user credentials. Do not share your personal phone number.
Another thing you need to be careful about is a seller who’s too eager to make a trade. This implies the product they’re selling is stolen. Overpayment scams are where the scammer sends you more than the product’s price, only to reverse the transaction once you send them the remainder amount.
Similarly, the bait and switch scam where you buy and receive a product, but you realize after receiving it that it’s not as advertised.
Have You Been Scammed on Facebook Marketplace?
Getting scammed could be the worst feeling. But on the flip side, it teaches you a thing or two about the internet and how it’s not all roses. Sure, it might not have been worth it, but there’s always scope for learning. Most people usually get their money back if they report the scam early, while others might not get it, ever.
That said, you cannot deny that the number of scammers on Facebook Marketplace keeps increasing, and for the same reason you should try out other platforms like eBay. If eBay’s not available in your country, I’m sure you will have at least one buying and selling platform in your region.
Have you been a victim of a scam on Facebook Marketplace? If yes, how did you deal with it and did you get your money back? Let us know in the comments.
