One TikToker Is Warning People Against Using Facebook Marketplace, Claims It’s “Overrun” With Scammers
We all need a little bit of extra cash now and again, and we can usually find things to sell.
Likewise, we often need something for our kids or our homes and think that buying secondhand is more frugal (and often quicker) than ordering online.
Though Facebook Marketplace used to be a great option for either or both of these situations, at least one TikToker is claiming that’s no longer the case.
Image Credit: TikTok
She posts as @northidahomade, and she posted about one scam she’s found to be all too common – and that others in the comments say they’ve encountered as well.
“If you haven’t sold on Facebook Marketplace in a while you may not know that it si no longer as safe as it used to be. The big change occurred just this year but it has become overrun with scammers because they’ve just figured out how to get people’s information from the marketplace.”
The scam begins by people asking you whether or not your item is still for sale, and when you respond, they delete their profiles.
“Here’s your first red flag. The person’s gonna say, ‘I’m interested in your item, I wanna come get it, text me at my number. Don’t text them at their number. What they’re trying to get is your phone number.”
Image Credit: TikTok
Sometimes they will take this one step further and send a “Google verification code” to your number to make sure you’re “a real person,” but that you obviously shouldn’t give them that, either.
“If you already are in a text conversation with this person it’s not too late. But do not under any circumstance give them that Google verification code. This extremely common Facebook marketplace scam is them trying to verify your Google identity so that they can get a Google Voice number with a United States area code. They will then use this phone number to scam other people.”
Image Credit: TikTok
The bottom line is that there’s no reason to leave Facebook’s Messenger to complete the transaction if the person is above board.
“If you’re talking to someone on Messenger you don’t need to talk to them on the phone. Also watch out for broken English or misspelling. They usually come across with an aggressive vibe. A lot of these people send you a message and before even waiting for you to respond they’ll send a bunch of question marks.”
@northidahomade Don’t ask how I learned about this. #googleverification #codescam #facebookmarketplace #facebookscammers #redflags
Basically, you might just want to listen to your gut when it comes to interacting with strangers online – advice you probably know but may have forgotten over time.
If something seems off, it probably is, so just walk away.
