'Tis the Holiday Season...Seller Beware

[Harold]

I refreshed a few Facebook Marketplace ads early this morning and within a few minutes got three bogus replies (one person per item).   Pretty strange for 7:00AM on Black Friday. 

 

The responses were all of the 'I'll take it' variety and no other verbiage.  One sent a phone number to text my response.  The person had 7 different accounts that were all just created.  Same name and photo for each.  All had a 'second recipient' that wasn't identified.  I dumped them all.

 

Be skeptical if you get a reply within a few minutes of posting your ad. It's just too coincidental that someone is looking for the gizmo you just posted. 

 

Search the sender's name on Facebook to see what kind of background info you find.   One of the responses I got claimed to be from a woman and the photo was of a guy in an orange prison jump suit. 

 

Try not to be the first person in the thread to cough up personal information.  Ask for a phone number early on. 

 

Another way to thwart scammers is to say 'We can meet at CVS' (or other public location) parking lot.  You'd be surprised how many respondents disappear when you let them know your home address is not going to be released.

 

Bottom line:  Be vigilant and think ahead!

[Peter Gariepy]

I've found Facebook marketplace to be a cesspool of fake sellers and fake buyers. I recently have been looking for an RV.  There are dozens on FB at crazy low prices and they all want to me "email their sister" to get more info.  When I tried to give away (free!) some lamps I got a handful of messages that ended up going nowhere. All wanting an email or phone number, but no inquiring about how to pick them up.

 

I've had better success with Craigslist.

[Bhigdog]

I've had good luck on FB market place both buying and selling. Just sold a rehabed T-30 compressor this AM. That said it is a wasteland of phoney responses, "is it still available" or the ever popular "I'll take it and be there this afternoon".  I'm not sure of how the scams work but my basic M.O. is to make the prospective buyer work for it by feeding him only enough info to see if he's genuine enough to keep asking  good questions. Then if possible we meet at a local public place, day light only.

If they do need to come to my house it's daylight only and I always keep a little something handy in my side pocket...........Bob

Edited November 25, 2022 by Bhigdog (see edit history)

[Bhigdog]

42 minutes ago, Peter Gariepy said:

 

I've had better success with Craigslist.

Problem with C.L. is their search net is FAR to inclusive. For example, a search for "electric motor" will cough up any thing with electric or motor in it's description. Everything from old Toyota engines (motor) to electric bicycles to hair curling sets. BLECH! who has the time for that?.....Bob

[TAKerry]

My wife was buying junk furniture and rehabbing then selling on market place. This kept her sanity through the covid lockdown. We were on the road every weekend picking stuff up. She never had a 'bad deal'. A couple of times when she put up stuff for sale she would get the response within minutes. She didnt even bother with those and told me they were scams. I wouldnt know any better. However I dont trust any of that stuff. 

[Bryan G]

Marketplace has enormous potential beyond its already great reach...but, yet, currently too much of a cesspool. Yes, I do use it often, and with good results, but even more junk replies than I used to find when Craigslist was at its peak. Tonight I listed a vehicle for a friend and instantly received about a half-dozen obviously bogus replies. "I'll take it." "Can I pick it up today?" Message from "Cassandra" with a photo that looks like some 20 year old model (just the person you'd expect to be interested in a non-running 80s project...) and when I reply, their name suddenly changes to "Donna" who looks like another 20 year old model. 

 

I have been curious how the scam works where they request your phone number. For now, I just block all those folks and move on. Somewhere amongst the dregs, a buyer exists. And when answering an ad by someone else, I do my best not to sound like one of those scammers.

[60FlatTop]

On 11/25/2022 at 12:09 PM, Harold said:

The responses were all of the 'I'll take it' variety and no other verbiage.  One sent a phone number to text my response

Are you the guy from Niagara Falls with the rusty Silverado tailgate for 50 bucks? I sent my phone number and asked if I could pick it up Monday or Tuesday. No reply.

 

In the early days of the internet a guy stole my identity. When he realized the baggage that came with it he tried to give it back, I refused. I think I drove by him shortly after sitting on the curb in the gray rainy fog with a pistol in his hand., never heard from him again. You have to be a strong person to deal in personal identities.

[Harold]

21 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

Are you the guy from Niagara Falls with the rusty Silverado tailgate for 50 bucks? I sent my phone number and asked if I could pick it up Monday or Tuesday. No reply.

 

Funny that you mention Niagara Falls.  The 'text me your phone number' guy had a 585 area code, so he's probably in the WNY area.

[60FlatTop]

I am still interested in the tailgate. We could meet in the lobby of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Marilyn, my Facebook friend. said it was a safe place.

 

[Bloo]

Niagara Falls?!! 

 

Slowly I turn.....

[60FlatTop]

I am a true victim of stolen internet identity. I started using online services in 1998 when I discovered I could make money using it. One of my first sales was a 1933 Terraplane chassis to Ed Moore. Then I made a website that was easy to find by typing "Bernie Daily" into a search. Well! Who comes along, Bernie Madoff to be written up in every Daily News in the country. My niche went micro with that.

 

Then we get Bernie Sanders also hitting the Daily News. That's the end of this Bernie. Adding Buick in the search helps a little but not much.

 

Taking things in good humor I bought a "Bernie For President" T-shirt. Wore it once, not enough people knew my name was Bernie. Even "I" was embarrassed to wear it, threw it away last summer in the garage trash bag.

 

Violated, that's it. I feel violated by the internet. And a couple of other Bernies.

 

I had thought about changing my name to Owen Cornelius Dalton for a few good reasons but the monogram looked threatening.

Edited November 27, 2022 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[Rivguy]

I'm back to using CL to sell my old Datsun parts hoard. Over the years I haven't had any problems, except with "flakes."  My contact info is through the CL e mail link, and I don't give my phone number until we exchange numbers before the arranged pick up. Most meet ups are at a hardware store parking lot off of the freeway. I've bought two cars off CL this year. One set me back 9,000 dollars the other 5,000 dollars. The first was done at the bank where I withdrew the money while the seller handed over the verified pink slip. The second was at the seller's house. He was such a nice guy and so trusting. He just handed me the keys and told me to take the car for a spin. I got such a good vibe from him and his Wife, that I had no problem completing the sale in cash at his house. But you have to be careful, I am . I only meet a buyer at my house after i've done some earlier business with them.