Facebook Marketplace scams: how to spot them and stay safe

The tricks that come up most

• Overpayment. A buyer sends a check for more than your price and asks you to send back the difference, often “for the mover”. The check is fake, but the money shows in your balance at first. The FTC says it can take weeks for a bank to spot a fake check, and then you repay the bank.
• A fake payment-app email. A message that looks like it is from Zelle or Venmo says the payment is on hold until you upgrade to a business account or pay a fee. Meta lists this as a common Marketplace scam. See Zelle scams.
• A code request. The buyer says they want to make sure you are real, then asks you to read back a code texted to your phone. That code sets up a number in your name. See the Google Voice code scam.
• Fake proof and fake links. A screenshot of a payment, a tracking number, or a link to a delivery, payment or escrow page outside Facebook that asks for your card or bank details.
• Deposits on things you have not seen. A seller wants money to hold an item, a car or a rental before you can look at it. See fake rental listings.

What the overpayment message looks like

A real buyer pays your price. Anyone who pays more and wants the change back is running the fake check scam.

Red flags and safer signs

How to meet and pay safely

• Meet somewhere busy and well lit, such as a store parking lot, and bring someone or tell a friend where you are going.
• Inspect the item before you pay. For a car or an apartment, Meta suggests confirming it exists and that the seller owns it before sending money.
• As a seller, open your own bank or payment app and see the money before you hand anything over. A screenshot or an email is not money.
• Keep the conversation in Messenger. Scammers often push to move to text or email early.

Meta's Purchase Protection covers eligible items bought through checkout on Facebook. It does not cover cash, payment apps or anything paid off the platform, so once that money is sent it is hard to get back.

How much people lose on Facebook

In 2025, people told the FTC they lost $2.1 billion to scams that started on social media, nearly 30% of everyone who reported losing money. Facebook led with $794 million reported lost, more than WhatsApp and Instagram combined.

Those figures cover all of Facebook, not only Marketplace. The FTC says shopping scams were the most reported kind on social media, and most scams are never reported at all.

If it already happened

1. If you deposited a check from a buyer, tell your bank now and do not send any of that money on, even if it shows in your balance.
2. If you paid with Zelle, Venmo or another app, call your bank or the app straight away and report it as a scam.
3. If you shared a code, follow Google's steps to reclaim your number and change the password on any account that code could open.
4. Report the profile and the conversation to Facebook from the listing or the chat, and keep screenshots of everything.

• ReportFraud.ftc.govReport the scam to the Federal Trade Commission.
• IC3.govThe FBI’s internet crime complaint center, for losses online.
• IdentityTheft.govIf they got your ID, Social Security number or account details.

Questions