Facebook Marketplace warning: There's a new costly scam you should be aware of

Many of the 2.91 billion people using Facebook in a month, also use the social networking app’s Marketplace to buy and sell items. Since launching in 2016, it has become a popular cyber marketplace where people trade goods and services among themselves. Its popularity is what has made it attractive to scammers who have devised dubious means to steal money from unsuspecting users, according to MyLondon.com.

Marketplace scam

TV host and producer, Nev Schulman who is also the face of MTV’s Catfish who is an expert in the art of deception, has warned Facebook users to be cautious when using Marketplace as a new scam could cost them thousands of pounds.

Facebook Marketplace probably being one of the biggest [for scams] just because Facebook has the most users. If you don't know the simple few red flags to look out for it can be easy to fall victim.

According to him, the recent scam sees con-artists sending strange messages to unsuspecting buyers on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, claiming to be from the social network themselves. Unsuspecting users are then sent a link to click on to confirm their information.

Tread cautiously

You may be asked to provide some personal information which could later be used to scam you. The scammers then offer to pay for your purchase through a money transfer app, before claiming it didn’t go through because the seller needs to update their account.

Schulman told Yahoo News, a link is then sent asking the user to pay a small fee for the payment to proceed - followed by a fake email from a non-existent firm asking you to confirm the transaction

Scammers target sellers on marketplaces because the average internet sale or seller probably hasn't done it many times.

He advises users to be suspicious of people who appear too eager and are not interested in price negotiation.

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