Is Facebook Marketplace Safe? 12 Tips for Avoiding Scams
Updated: Jun. 10, 2024
Buying and selling things on Facebook Marketplace is a great way to make some extra cash or save a few bucks, but your safety always comes first
If you’re looking for a good deal, Facebook Marketplace is likely one of the first sites you visit. Just behind eBay, it’s the second most popular site for finding secondhand goods, according to a 2022 survey by Statista, a company that provides market data. But not everyone is comfortable buying and selling on the platform. A common concern: Is Facebook Marketplace safe?
My household is split on the issue. I love scrolling through Facebook for deals, and only one in a handful of transactions has felt a little uncomfortable. (The house was dark, and the seller was not home—red flags, but thankfully, I left with my settee unscathed!) My husband, on the other hand, insists that we meet with sellers only in public spaces and only after he’s checked out their profiles.
Through my reporting on online scams and digital security, I’ve learned to be more cautious than I used to be. After all, Facebook Marketplace scams are common, and it’s important to know how to defend yourself against identity theft and fraud. With that in mind, Reader’s Digest talked to four technology experts and asked them to level with us: Is Facebook Marketplace safe?
Read on to learn their answers, plus how to stay safe on Facebook Marketplace and what tech tips you should use to securely buy and sell items on the platform.
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About the experts
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Is Facebook Marketplace safe?
First things first: Is Facebook Marketplace actually safe? “That’s a hard question to answer because it depends,” says ethical hacker Steven McKeon, founder and CEO of MacguyverTech and MacNerd. Facebook Marketplace struggles with the same problems that any other online marketplace struggles with: There’s a high volume of activity, and it’s difficult to track or stop scammers who quickly create fake accounts, trick buyers and sellers, and move on to their next target at warp speed.
According to Facebook parent company Meta, an estimated 4% of accounts on the platform were fake as of the fourth quarter of 2023. The platform took action on a whopping 691 million fake accounts from October to December of that year.
“If you stay within their ecosystem and use their payment methods that are built into the platform, I would say yes, Facebook Marketplace is safe,” says McKeon. “But savvy scammers that are good at manipulating people will sometimes say, ‘Oh, by the way, let’s go pay here,’ and that’s when the problems can start.”
Zulfikar Ramzan, PhD, a cybersecurity expert and the chief scientist and executive vice president of product and development for digital security platform Aura, agrees. “On the internet, we have to operate with different trust models,” he says. “We have to assume we can’t trust anyone. ‘Never trust, always verify’ has to be your mantra.”
The good news is that there are many ways to verify the identity of a buyer or seller, ensure safer transactions and avoid Facebook scams. And any consumer can use these tools.
How can you stay safe while using Facebook Marketplace?
It is possible to stay safe—and avoid scams—while buying and selling on Facebook Marketplace. The trick is to follow recommended best practices each and every time you use the site. Keep reading for our experts’ top tips.
Do your research
Best for: Buyers and sellers
“Before you start working with a buyer or seller, do your homework to find out who is on the other side of the screen,” says McKeon. Never forget this essential first step.
As you click through their profile, look out for details that could indicate a newly created scam account, such as:
- A lack of profile photo
- Very few photos
- Posts with spelling or grammar errors
- No reviews
- Many negative reviews
Keep in mind that knowing someone in real life doesn’t guarantee that their online account is trustworthy, cautions cybersecurity expert Robert Siciliano, co-founder of Protect Now, a company that provides training to secure and protect individuals and businesses from cybercrime, social media intrusion and identity theft. Don’t drop your guard simply because you’re working with an acquaintance, he says.
Scammers can make lookalike accounts of people you know, so check in with the person through another form of communication—like a quick text message—to ensure you’re talking to the person you think you’re talking to. (This is also a good reason to have your profile set to private—to prevent scammers from stealing your identity.)
Avoid deals that seem too good to be true
Best for: Buyers and sellers
“One of the first things to look for is whether or not the deal is just too good to be true,” says Ramzan. “So for example, if you see a really popular or lucrative item being sold or offered for a very low price, that should be a pretty big red flag right there.”
On the flip side, beware of buyers who seem like they’re in a huge hurry to purchase your product (without even seeing it). Scammers often use a sense of urgency and dreamy offers to lure you into falling for a scam.
Guard personal details
Best for: Buyers and sellers
Some buyers or sellers will ask about your working hours or if you have a spouse or another person who can help with moving a heavy object. Those questions are often ploys to determine vulnerability. Questions that should raise a red flag include: Are you home alone? Are you a single mom? Will you allow me to come into your house and take the item?
“[Criminals] want to understand your habits and the layout of your home so they can return and break in,” says personal safety expert Tom Patire. Install home security systems, and don’t volunteer information that could help a burglar.
Another angle cybercriminals could use is the desire to verify who you are. But remember: A buyer or seller has no right to your personal information. Avoid anyone who asks for intel that’s not relevant to the sale, such as the verification code for your Facebook account, your password or your bank account information, says Ramzan.
Keep communication on Facebook
Best for: Buyers and sellers
As McKeon notes, one of the first moves scammers often make is to get you off the platform—to make it harder to follow their tracks. Rather than giving scammers your email or phone number (personal information you want to keep private anyway), stick to communicating through Facebook Messenger. Having a record of your conversations is important just in case something does go wrong, according to Facebook.
Use secure and reliable payment platforms
Best for: Sellers
One time, I tried to sell a fairly pricey rug on Facebook Marketplace. Shortly after I posted about it, a buyer said they wanted it and would pay for it immediately via Zelle. The speed at which they wanted to make this transaction seemed fishy to me, and not long after I started asking questions, they ghosted me.
“That’s a red flag,” says McKeon. “You’ve got to be careful because they might send you a link to something that could be malicious. I’ve had people go through a similar process, and the next thing you know, their entire Zelle and bank account was drained.”
Along with urgency, scammers often try to coax you into using alternative payment methods, from Zelle and Cash App to paper checks, wire transfers, money orders, gift cards and even cryptocurrency because it’s harder—if not impossible—to get your money back when things go wrong.
“Platforms like Zelle and some of the other apps are designed for convenience and allow you to make a really fast payment. But that immediacy does have a downside to it, which is that if something is wrong with that transaction, it’s sometimes so immediate you can’t undo it because it’s too late,” explains Ramzan.
The fix: Always stick to reputable payment methods, such as PayPal, Meta Pay or cash in hand. PayPal and Meta, in particular, have systems in place to protect you from fraud and can reverse payments if necessary.
Just say no to overpayments
Best for: Sellers
Overpayment scams are a common problem, says Ramzan. Here’s how they work: Let’s say you’re selling an item for $500. The buyer “accidentally” overpays you, sending $1,000 instead. To correct the mistake, they request a refund for $500. Not long after that, you discover their original payment didn’t go through—and you’ve just lost $500.
While bank scams like this are painful to experience, overpayment schemes are easy to avoid. Follow this one simple rule: Never accept payments over the asking price. Take exactly what you’re owed—nothing more, nothing less. If someone tries to overpay you, stop working with them.
Protect your privacy
Best for: Buyers and sellers
When buying and selling on Facebook Marketplace, it’s sometimes convenient to meet up at someone’s house, but the experts we spoke with recommended against this unless you can verify the person’s identity or they’re known to you already, like a neighbor. Whenever it’s possible, meet in a public, well-lit place such as a police station, fast food restaurant or shopping mall.
Why? “You just don’t want to be in a situation where they know where you live, and the next thing you know, you get a home invasion,” says McKeon. A common reason to sell out of your home is the struggle to move heavy furniture. In this case, he advises renting a truck. It’s less convenient, yes. But ultimately, it’s more important to protect your privacy than to make a quick $50.
Enlist a buddy
Best for: Buyers and sellers
Have a spouse, friend or neighbor accompany you to the meeting. If you have to make the trip alone, let someone else know your plans. Facebook allows you to create and share your meetup plan with a friend. Just follow the steps below.
- From your Messenger thread with the buyer or seller, tap “More options.”
- Tap “Create meetup plan.”
- Select the method, time and location for your meeting.
- Tap “Send plan” to share it with the buyer or seller, as well as with a friend you want to keep in the loop.
For an added layer of protection, share your location with your pal. You can do this by going to Google Maps and tapping your profile photo, then selecting “Location sharing” and “Share location.” Or use the Find My app on your iPhone. Text your friend check-ins before and after to ensure you’re safe.
Avoid rental scams by visiting properties in person
Best for: Buyers
Another common scam is when someone duplicates a legitimate listing for a rental on Facebook Marketplace only to take your security deposit and run. To avoid this scam, start with a couple of the essential tips above: Know who you’re working with by reviewing the profile of the potential landlord or roommate, and avoid too-good-to-be-true offers.
Next, look out for red flags like watermarks on the photos—a sign that they’ve been pulled from another site. Another red flag of a scam is a seller who refuses to share the address of the property, which would prevent you from researching it online to ensure the listing matches the real property. You might also notice something is wrong from correspondence with the seller; for instance, their name might not match the name of the owner of the property on the original advertisement or another site like Zillow or Trulia.
As much as you can, do your research to verify that the listing is legitimate before making any payment. If you can’t visit the property in person, have a friend take a tour and FaceTime you, McKeon suggests.
Have a mechanic check out a car before you buy
Best for: Buyers
When asked about buying a car on Facebook, McKeon is frank: He wouldn’t do it—and he’d recommend using a platform specifically dedicated to car sales, like Carvana. Still committed to using the site to buy your next vehicle? There are a few ways you can up your odds of making a good car purchase on Facebook.
Again, avoid too-good-to-be-true setups. Use tools like Kelley Blue Book to get an idea of how much you should be paying for a car before agreeing on a price. Don’t make any payments without seeing the car in person, and ask if you can have a mechanic give it a look before you buy the car. This way, you won’t end up with a clunker and a stack of expensive car bills just after getting what seemed like a sweet deal.
Use traditional shipping methods
Best for: Buyers and sellers
So much of staying safe online comes down to identifying red flags, and another big one to look out for is someone who wants to use a prepaid shipping label. This is frequently a sign of a scam. A smarter option is to stick with traditional shipping methods, such as FedEx, UPS or USPS.
Even better, according to Ramzan? “The easiest way to avoid a shipping scam is to not have an item shipped to you,” he says. “Aim toward an in-person transaction because that makes it harder for a scammer to hide behind a digital wall.”
Can’t get around shipping? If you’re buying an item that will ship to you, be sure to get a tracking number so you can monitor its progress and ensure it’s delivered.
If you’re selling an item, don’t mail it before the buyer has paid for it. “If you don’t receive payment before shipping, you probably never will,” says Ramzan. Case in point: Nonpayment and nondelivery scams cost victims over $300 million in 2023, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report.
Report scammers
Best for: Buyers and sellers
If you are a victim of an online scam, you do have options. Contact the buyer or seller. If they don’t respond within two days, file a claim or dispute with Facebook and report the buyer or seller.
Call local law enforcement to let them know what happened, and file reports with the Federal Trade Commission and Internet Crime Complaint Center to help them look out for others.
Should you avoid Facebook Marketplace?
Don’t automatically reject Facebook Marketplace. There can be risks to buying and selling on the platform, but if you use diligence and follow these Facebook Marketplace rules, you can remain safe while making beneficial transactions, says Patire.
“I don’t want people to think selling this way isn’t a good idea,” he says. “Every once in a while, you will find a person with the wrong intent. Limit what you say, have a good safety system in place.” That’s how you remain safe.
Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of articles on personal technology, arming readers with the knowledge to protect themselves against cybersecurity threats and internet scams as well as revealing the best tips, tricks and shortcuts for computers, cellphones, apps, texting, social media and more. For this piece, Chuck Brooks, a globally recognized expert on cybersecurity and emerging technologies, Georgetown University professor and thought leader who has briefed the G20 on cybersecurity and received two presidential appointments, gave it a rigorous review to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We rely on credentialed experts with personal experience and know-how as well as primary sources including tech companies, professional organizations and academic institutions. We verify all facts and data and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Steven McKeon, ethical hacker and founder and CEO of MacguyverTech and MacNerd; video interview, May 2, 2024
- Zulfikar Ramzan, PhD, cybersecurity expert and chief scientist and executive vice president of product and development at Aura; video interview, May 3, 2024
- Robert Siciliano, cybersecurity expert and co-founder of Protect Now; interview, September 2019
- Tom Patire, personal safety expert; interview, September 2019
- Statista: “Most popular online platforms for second-hand purchases in the United States in 2022”
- FBI: “2023 Internet Crime Report”
- Facebook: “Buy and sell responsibly on Facebook Marketplace”
- Facebook: “Create and share your meetup plan for Facebook Marketplace sales and purchases”
- Facebook: “About disputes and claim decisions”
- Facebook: “Report a Facebook Marketplace buyer”
- Facebook: “Report a Facebook Marketplace seller”
Originally Published: May 23, 2024
