Facebook Marketplace - am I right to be suspicious?
Discussion
So I've seen a car being broken on marketplace and it has the part I need. However something just feels off about the whole thing. I'm curious as to what others think of this:
Am I right to now back out of this purchase? Of course I know I should stick to my senses which are suggesting huge red flags, but just wanted the opinion of others.
- The part being sold is way below market value.
- Sellers profile created 2022. Populated so it seems like a real profile. They are selling various items from various different cars.
- Initially backed out as the seller didn't want to split the part for the specific piece I needed from it.
- Changed my mind and decided to buy it all as it's fairly cheap and I can take what I need and then sell the unneeded part on.
- I asked the seller for a postcode for collection. They gave a postcode that does not exist.
- I then asked for an address thinking they mistyped the postcode, and they gave the name of a local pub. No other details and pretty poor communication overall.
Am I right to now back out of this purchase? Of course I know I should stick to my senses which are suggesting huge red flags, but just wanted the opinion of others.
FB marketplace is an absolute cesspit full of scam and fraudulent ads and downright thiefs.
I do however still use it but when looking at an item my default view is it's a scam. Comms with the seller is the clincher. If they sound dodgy, then probably they are and I leave it. If they come across as human and genuine then I'll ask to view. Again if there's a big delay in comms or a dodgy response I leave it.
Sadly I learnt this the had way as a seller. Listed one of my mountain bikes on FB marketplace. Got comms from a potential buyer. Checked their profile. Looked a little dodgy but decided to probe a little more and kept comms up. I gave a rough idea where I was located but nothing specific.
A day or so later I get a message saying he's actually in Southampton for the day so can he come and view. I was in a meeting so not fully thinking things through. Rather than just give the street and ask him to call when he gets there I gave my full address.
He didn't show up that night. I half jokingly said to my wife "I wonder if we're going to get robbed tonight". I was wrong. We were robbed 3 days later. Garage and Shed ransacked and two of my bikes nicked but nothing else.
A few weeks later I was looking at a bike listed on FB marketplace to replace the one that got nicked (that I didn't want to sell) and I got chatting to the guy about what happened. I mentioned the profile name of the person and he gets his phone out to show me that they'd contacted him that morning about his bike. He was shocked but glad that he'd dodged a bullet. Ended up selling the bike to me quite a bit cheaper than he was hoping to figuring I was actually real and there and didn't fancy getting his house robbed.
I do however still use it but when looking at an item my default view is it's a scam. Comms with the seller is the clincher. If they sound dodgy, then probably they are and I leave it. If they come across as human and genuine then I'll ask to view. Again if there's a big delay in comms or a dodgy response I leave it.
Sadly I learnt this the had way as a seller. Listed one of my mountain bikes on FB marketplace. Got comms from a potential buyer. Checked their profile. Looked a little dodgy but decided to probe a little more and kept comms up. I gave a rough idea where I was located but nothing specific.
A day or so later I get a message saying he's actually in Southampton for the day so can he come and view. I was in a meeting so not fully thinking things through. Rather than just give the street and ask him to call when he gets there I gave my full address.
He didn't show up that night. I half jokingly said to my wife "I wonder if we're going to get robbed tonight". I was wrong. We were robbed 3 days later. Garage and Shed ransacked and two of my bikes nicked but nothing else.
A few weeks later I was looking at a bike listed on FB marketplace to replace the one that got nicked (that I didn't want to sell) and I got chatting to the guy about what happened. I mentioned the profile name of the person and he gets his phone out to show me that they'd contacted him that morning about his bike. He was shocked but glad that he'd dodged a bullet. Ended up selling the bike to me quite a bit cheaper than he was hoping to figuring I was actually real and there and didn't fancy getting his house robbed.
QuattroDave said:
FB marketplace is an absolute cesspit full of scam and fraudulent ads and downright thiefs.
I do however still use it but when looking at an item my default view is it's a scam. Comms with the seller is the clincher. If they sound dodgy, then probably they are and I leave it. If they come across as human and genuine then I'll ask to view. Again if there's a big delay in comms or a dodgy response I leave it.
Sadly I learnt this the had way as a seller. Listed one of my mountain bikes on FB marketplace. Got comms from a potential buyer. Checked their profile. Looked a little dodgy but decided to probe a little more and kept comms up. I gave a rough idea where I was located but nothing specific.
A day or so later I get a message saying he's actually in Southampton for the day so can he come and view. I was in a meeting so not fully thinking things through. Rather than just give the street and ask him to call when he gets there I gave my full address.
He didn't show up that night. I half jokingly said to my wife "I wonder if we're going to get robbed tonight". I was wrong. We were robbed 3 days later. Garage and Shed ransacked and two of my bikes nicked but nothing else.
A few weeks later I was looking at a bike listed on FB marketplace to replace the one that got nicked (that I didn't want to sell) and I got chatting to the guy about what happened. I mentioned the profile name of the person and he gets his phone out to show me that they'd contacted him that morning about his bike. He was shocked but glad that he'd dodged a bullet. Ended up selling the bike to me quite a bit cheaper than he was hoping to figuring I was actually real and there and didn't fancy getting his house robbed.
The latest obvious scam is £20-30k cars being listed at £3400, or around that. Surely nobody is falling for that.I do however still use it but when looking at an item my default view is it's a scam. Comms with the seller is the clincher. If they sound dodgy, then probably they are and I leave it. If they come across as human and genuine then I'll ask to view. Again if there's a big delay in comms or a dodgy response I leave it.
Sadly I learnt this the had way as a seller. Listed one of my mountain bikes on FB marketplace. Got comms from a potential buyer. Checked their profile. Looked a little dodgy but decided to probe a little more and kept comms up. I gave a rough idea where I was located but nothing specific.
A day or so later I get a message saying he's actually in Southampton for the day so can he come and view. I was in a meeting so not fully thinking things through. Rather than just give the street and ask him to call when he gets there I gave my full address.
He didn't show up that night. I half jokingly said to my wife "I wonder if we're going to get robbed tonight". I was wrong. We were robbed 3 days later. Garage and Shed ransacked and two of my bikes nicked but nothing else.
A few weeks later I was looking at a bike listed on FB marketplace to replace the one that got nicked (that I didn't want to sell) and I got chatting to the guy about what happened. I mentioned the profile name of the person and he gets his phone out to show me that they'd contacted him that morning about his bike. He was shocked but glad that he'd dodged a bullet. Ended up selling the bike to me quite a bit cheaper than he was hoping to figuring I was actually real and there and didn't fancy getting his house robbed.
But some are harder to spot than others. I suspect a lot of stolen parts end up on Facebook too, and I now think the part I was enquiring about is likely from a stolen car.
I get why some are hesitant to give their address, but to give me a postcode that doesn't exist and then be vague about the location triggered red flags for me. I've met sellers before in busy retail parks, which is fair enough. A busy area and no need to give your home address. I was able to check the item and then handed over money.
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