“Kim, I found a lovely little dresser on Facebook Marketplace, and someone’s selling concert tickets for my choir friends. But how do I know I’m not being cheated? One seller already asked me to pay a strange way.”
Good instinct to ask, Mom. Marketplace can be wonderful for local finds — you just keep two habits: pay the normal way, and for local items, see it before you pay.
Buying and selling between neighbors is one of the internet’s nicer corners. A few simple rules keep the scammers out of it.
On the buying side: a “seller” lists something at a great price, then asks you to pay ahead by Zelle, gift card, or wire to “hold” it — and once you pay, they vanish. Or they push you off Facebook to text, where there’s no record. On the selling side: a “buyer” offers to pay extra, sends a fake payment confirmation, and asks you to refund the difference — the overpayment trick. And “verify your account with the code I just sent you” is always a scam to hijack your phone number.
The safe habits are easy to remember. For local items, meet in a public place in daylight — many police stations have a safe “exchange zone” — and pay in cash only when you see the item. Keep all messages inside Facebook. Never send a deposit to hold something, never accept an overpayment and “refund” the difference, and never share a verification code. If a deal feels rushed or too good, walk away — there’s always another dresser.
Kim’s 3 Rules
1. For local items, see it in person in a public place before you pay — cash when you meet, no deposits to “hold” it.
2. Keep all messages and payments inside Facebook. Anyone pushing you to text or pay by Zelle/gift card is a red flag.
3. Never accept an overpayment and refund the difference, and never share a verification code. Both are classic scams.
If it already happened
If you paid a “seller” who vanished, report the listing and the profile to Facebook and, if you paid by card or a protected method, ask about a dispute (Zelle and gift cards rarely can be recovered). If you shared a verification code, secure your phone and Facebook account right away. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Mom met the dresser seller at her local police station’s exchange spot, paid cash when she saw it, and got a small oak dresser she adores. The “pay-ahead” ticket seller? She skipped him. Her choir friends found real tickets elsewhere.
Kim spent 30 years in computer security and now helps her 80-year-old mom — and you — stay safe online. Got a strange email, text, or call? Ask Kim first.
💡 Have a question for Kim? Use “Questions from readers” just above — Kim answers within the hour. Comments here are for sharing with other members (but Kim reads them too).
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