Scammed on FB Marketplace

ParkerManc

Sadly today my other half has been scammed on Facebook Marketplace. She put a very expensive handbag up for sale, something she had worked and saved for over a very long time.

She was contacted by someone on facebook and they agreed to buy it if it could be delivered next day(today). It was already 4pm and so she packaged it up and ran off to the post office. The person sent screenshots of the payment screen on their banking app and because she wanted it to arrive on time she sent it off.

Now obviously the money hasn't cleared and a proper search on facebook reveals this person to be a scammer who has done the same to many people.

Today I drove down to the address(2 hours away) and found it locked up and nobody in. It seems perhaps to be a place where deliveries are taken in but nobody actually lives there.

I've tried hunting down the IP address of the facebook profile but it's a proxy.

It sounds a lot like we will never see the bag again but if anyone has any advice it's hugely appreciated. My other half is distraught along with feeling very stupid.


Thanks

theroamingnomad

I hope you manage to get some kind of resolution, although I don't think you'll see the bag again, sadly.

It is situations like this that will always have me selling stuff through eBay with Paypal as the payment method.

soolin

You could report it to auction fraud but I suspect there is little they will do , they are certainly unlikely to get your bag back. Those that are internet savvy wouldn't fall for such an obvious scam, and sadly those that do fall for them are unlikely to spend time doing the research that would have found previous warnings so it is difficult to know how to stop these scumbag scammers.

You've lost the bag and have no chance of seeing any money, it is a shame and I understand how upset your wife must be.

RFW

You are victims of crime so report it to the police.
There's not much chance of getting the bag or any money back but the culprits could be traced. There's a computer footprint via Facebook and an address to be investigated.

I'd also message Facebook via Twitter (sounds daft but will get a quicker response).

You also might want to alert your bank as it sounds like you've given banking details too. There isn't much they can do with bank account details but it does cover you just in case.