Facebook Marketplace Scams: Request for Paypal Sent (yes, this is a scam)
Selling items online can be a fantastic way to declutter your home and earn a little extra cash. But lurking in the shadows of popular platforms like Facebook Marketplace are scammers waiting to take advantage of unsuspecting sellers.
Have you ever sold something online, only to find that the buyer seems a little too eager? For example, you’ve just listed an item on Facebook Marketplace, and within minutes, someone offers to pay full price—no questions asked. It feels too good to be true, doesn’t it? That’s because it probably is.
Online selling platforms have become a hotspot for scammers who use sneaky tactics to trick well-meaning sellers. If you're one of the many older adults using Facebook to sell items locally, it’s essential to know how scammers operate and how to protect yourself.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through some of the most common scams you might encounter on Facebook Marketplace. I'll explain how these scams work, give you clear signs to look for, and share tips on how to stay safe.
Don’t worry! You’re not alone in this – I’m here to help you feel more confident when buying or selling online.
1. The "Too Good to Be True" Buyer
When you list an item on Facebook Marketplace, it’s usually a waiting game before the offers start coming in. But what if you receive an offer right away, and the buyer is very enthusiastic?
Here's a (surprising) red flag: the buyer offers to pay the full asking price without asking any questions about the item. Normally, buyers ask questions like “What condition is it in?” or “Where are you located?” But these scammers skip that and jump straight to a full-price offer, because they want you to think you’ve hit the jackpot and they have no intention of ever actually picking up the item.
While this might sound like a great deal, it’s often the first sign that something isn’t quite right.
Real buyers want to make sure the item is exactly what they’re looking for before committing to a payment.
2. The "Unexpected Story" – Someone Else Is Coming to Pick Up the Item
Once you’ve accepted the offer, the scammer might tell you that they can’t pick up the item themselves – maybe they're out of town, or they have some other excuse. Instead, they'll say that a friend, cousin, or uncle will come by to collect the item on their behalf.
But here’s the kicker: they’ll insist on paying you through PayPal to “secure” the sale, even though they aren’t coming in person.
This is the number one red flag to look out for - if the potential buyer says someone else is coming to pick up the item after they pay, you can safely assume this is a potential scam.
Why?
At this point, the scammer is trying to shift the conversation away from the actual item to PayPal and other payment methods. They want you to let your guard down, with the exciting potential of selling the item. These scammers will send you a link asking you to set up a PayPal account and then demand to see a screenshot of the payment.
3. The "Courier Scam" – Paying Fees Before Pickup
This next scam involves the scammer asking you to pay a "small fee" for a courier or "insurance" before they can arrange for the item to be picked up. It sounds strange, right?
Normally, the buyer pays the seller for the item, and that’s it. There’s no reason for you to pay any extra fee, especially in advance.
The scammer might claim that this fee will be added to your PayPal payment or transferred back to you. But once you make the payment, the scammer will disappear, and you'll be left with nothing but an empty bank account and an unfulfilled sale.
4. Fake Payment Confirmations
One of the most common tactics scammers use is sending fake payment confirmation emails that look like they’re from PayPal or other payment services. These emails often contain urgent messages, such as, "You need to confirm your payment now" or "We need to verify your account." The problem? If you look closely, the email address will not be from the official PayPal domain (like @paypal.com). Instead, it might come from a strange address like @onlinepay.business or @paypal.seller
The scammer might even send you a screenshot of the supposed PayPal transaction. But don’t be fooled – the screenshot can easily be faked, and the payment may never go through.
Tip: Always check your actual PayPal account or payment platform to confirm any payments, rather than trusting emails or screenshots. If the payment looks suspicious, don’t release the item.
5. The Overpayment Trick
Here’s a variation of the fake payment scam: the scammer sends you an amount that is higher than the asking price, claiming that it was a mistake. They’ll ask you to refund the difference, usually through a bank transfer. This is another attempt to get you to part with your money.
Once you send the refund, the scammer will likely report the PayPal payment as a mistake or claim it was unauthorized, and they will reverse the transaction, leaving you without both the money and the item.
For example, you list a couch for $300. A potential buyer messages you saying the couch is perfect and they’d like to pay the full price now. However, they have a bad back and so their nephew and his friend will pick up from your house the next morning. They won’t bother to ask you your address before payment. Once you provide your PayPal/Zelle/bank details, the scammer will “accidentally” send you $400, and then message you in a panic, asking you to send them back $100. You send them $100. They stop responding. A few hours later, you realize your PayPal never received the original $400 - you’ve just lost $100.
6. Protecting Your Personal Information
Sometimes the goal of these scams isn’t to steal your money, it is to steal your personal details.
They might ask for your full name, address, phone number, and email, supposedly to arrange for the courier to pick up the item. These scammers use this information to either steal your identity or sell it to others.
Be careful – even if the person seems nice and their story sounds plausible, sharing personal details with someone you don’t know could put you at risk.
7. Avoiding the Scam: How to Stay Safe
Now that you know the red flags, let’s talk about how to protect yourself from falling for these scams. Here are some simple steps to keep in mind:
1. Stick to Local Transactions: When selling on Facebook Marketplace, try to keep it local. If a buyer is from out of state or claims they can’t meet in person, that’s a big red flag.
2. Insist on Cash: Cash is the safest form of payment for in-person transactions. If you’re not comfortable with cash, ask for a bank transfer instead of PayPal. Avoid services like Zelle or Venmo for transactions with strangers, as they offer little protection. The only exception to this is doing a Zelle, Venmo or PayPal transition in person, when the buyer is coming to pick up the item. This reduces 95% of the risk - scammers rarely live in your local area and wouldn’t bother to take the time (or risk!) to show up in-person to scam you $50.
3. Don’t Share Personal Information: Be cautious about sharing too much personal information with potential buyers. Scammers are looking for details like your full name, address, and phone number, so keep those to yourself until you're sure the buyer is legitimate.
4. Always Verify Payment: Before handing over any items, always check your PayPal or other payment platforms directly to verify that the money has been transferred. Don’t rely on email confirmations or screenshots. Sometimes this means you’re awkwardly hanging out in the parking lot after the buyer has transferred the money, until you receive the text confirmation.
5. Report Suspicious Buyers: If you come across a suspicious buyer, don’t hesitate to block and report them. Facebook has tools for reporting fraudulent activity, and the more people who report scammers, the fewer others will fall victim to them.
8. What If You’ve Already Been Scammed?
If you realize that you’ve fallen for a scam, it’s important to act quickly. First, contact the payment service (like PayPal or your bank) and report the fraud. You may not be able to recover your funds, but it’s important to let them know what happened.
Additionally, report the scammer to Facebook and any other relevant authorities.
Selling online should be an empowering and rewarding experience, not a risky one. As someone who’s been both a buyer and a seller, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the downright baffling when it comes to selling online. I know the joy of a successful transaction—and the frustration of dealing with a potential scammer (and even if you are 95% sure that a buyer is trying to scam you, sometimes you want to hold out for that 5% in hopes the person is real because you really don’t want to have to keep dealing with the influx of new “is this available” messages with no response).
The one constant with FB marketplace scams? Scammers rely on confusion and urgency to trick their victims. Don’t let them win.
Equip yourself with knowledge, take your time, and trust your gut. Remember, scammers are clever, but with the right knowledge, you can be one step ahead. Take care and good luck selling!