'Fake' Marketplace listings? 5 September 2022 at 10:28PM in Ebay, auctions, car boot sales, post & parcels 6 replies 392 views

lindos90

Has anyone noticed an influx of questionable listings popping up in their local FB marketplace listings?

They are usually for furniture, and posted for ridiculously low prices. Claiming to be available locally, but they then seem to be agents that 'co-ordinate orders' on behalf of a third party business who deliver nationally.

Its impossible to  filter them out as the listings are posted by lots of different profiles, so trying to block them doesn't work, as new profiles spring up all the time.

I'm hoping to sell a few items of furniture that I no longer need, but I'm worried my listings will get lost in a sea of 'fake' listings.

Are they simply circumventing the fees that Fb expect from Businesses who sell via Fb marketplace, or are they scammers who take the money for orders and then disappear?

soolin

They are scammers, FB marketplace don’t charge most people, including businesses, for single placements on marketplace. The goods will either be completely different or non existent and drop shipped from the Far East .

I say most people purely as there is a move to start going towards a FB payment system like they have in the US where FB take a small cut, some people are being asked to sign up to it. However just looking at various forums this seems to have stopped or stalled in the UK at present.

marcia_

 I report these all the time. there are different options as to why you are reporting. One is "promoting a business" once reported the aid will vanish for you and there is an option to block the poster 

 I see sheds for £79, full set of garden furniture for £50 etc all with website address or 'different colours available' et in description 

soolin

marcia_ said:

 I report these all the time. there are different options as to why you are reporting. One is "promoting a business" once reported the aid will vanish for you and there is an option to block the poster 

 I see sheds for £79, full set of garden furniture for £50 etc all with website address or 'different colours available' et in description 

These proper paid ads on facebook are an issue as well, I don’t bother reporting them any more as it doesn’t appear to do any good and there are endless discussions about them and their scammy ways. Some people seem to want to be scammed and nothing will stop them throwing their money at these people . The air fryer sellers seem to be the latest scammers and there is a thread on here about them already. 

However in the OP facebook marketplace is mentioned which is not the main FB site and just listings of things for sale. 

lindos90

I'm on another blitz through the house to sell bits and bobs that are best sold locally. The ads that I mentioned in my original post seem to have multiplied!
There seems little point trying to sell furniture in particular as things are hidden under 100's of business posts (ones that are posted by individual accounts) It's so frustrating! If you contact one of the sellers asking if you can collect (as it states it is available locally) all they want to do is direct you to various websites to place the order. they seem very insistent if you make the mistake of thinking they are a local seller. I think the people behind the profiles get a % if they create a sale through their profile.
I'm very surprised that FB don't seem to want to do anything about it, because its businesses avoiding paying for adverts. 
I have tried to block the individual profiles, but there are so many, more being created all the time, its i,possible to filter them out like that when looking to buy.
Is it worth contacting FB about them? Do they close the profiles down if you do?
This is a typical post, even looks like it's in someones bedroom until you click on it and find out its available in lost of finishes and sizes. 

GDB2222

I have given up trying to sell furniture on Facebook. Nobody wants it. 

soolin

GDB2222 said:

I have given up trying to sell furniture on Facebook. Nobody wants it. 

That's probably more likely the reason things don't sell.