12 Tips for selling on facebook marketplace? – Saudja Online
Saudja Online – Peer-to-peer online sales and exchange sites are growing like crazy and for good reason. We need Tips for selling on facebook marketplace. When it comes to eco-living, they are a great way to pass on things you no longer need and get used to in your community.
While these sites have always been plagued with some degree of fraud and crime, in the past year, there has been a significant increase in crime associated with selling on facebook marketplace. Here are 10 tips for staying safe when using Facebook Marketplace (and other online peer-to-peer selling sites) to buy and sell goods and services.
If you’ve been blogging for a long time, you know I really like Buy Nothing groups, Facebook Marketplace, and thrift shopping. I’m sharing some articles about how the Buy Nothing group worked for us and some really helpful tips for making a little extra money on Facebook Marketplace.
While these types of sites provide a lot of value, they also run a fair amount of risk if not used or managed with care. Recently, ProPublica issued an article criticizing Facebook for its lack of prudence in managing the increasing crime associated with the Facebook Marketplace. This is definitely not the first article of its kind but one of a deeper dive and critique from the media giant.
I believe that generally, people are nice and most of the transactions on Facebook Marketplace are genuine and safe. However, as a proponent of peer-to-peer trading and trading platforms, I thought it would be helpful to share some tips and ways to stay safe while using these platforms. There are certain things to watch out for when considering whether posts and profiles are fraudulent, misleading, or malicious.
12 Tips for selling on facebook marketplace?
Below, I’ve put together ten tips for staying safe when using Facebook Marketplace and other peer-to-peer selling and exchange sites. Be sure to take this into account when exchanging goods and services with neighbors or buying and selling used goods with people in your community (and in particular, those who show up but may not actually be in your community) in selling on facebook marketplace.
1. Do not disclose Personal Information
In Tips for selling on facebook marketplace is rarely a need to disclose personal information about your family, personally identifiable information, or other personal data. Disclose this information only when necessary and with care.
Sometimes it might be useful. In some cases, for example, we ask people to come to our house to pick up large items such as doors and heavy carpets that we cannot carry. We have to give them our address. But we are particular enough not to give any specific information until just before the person arrives. At least limit the number of people who will ask for information and fail to follow up on taking goods.
Furthermore, in all cases where items are picked up in our homes, we have left them for contactless retrieval or placed them in our driveway or garage so that the person does not enter our home. In all cases, we will not accept pick up when one of us is home alone. Make sure a spouse or adult family member, neighbor, or friend is home with you if you have to ask the person to come to your house to collect their belongings.
2. Be aware that the profile may be fake
Tips for selling on facebook marketplace do not require a user profile. Others, such as Facebook Marketplace, offer a false sense of security by requiring users to complete profiles. Don’t put a lot of stock in user profiles. It’s easy to create fake user profiles and many scammers on Facebook Marketplace use fake profiles to lure potential victims.
A few profiles are enough to show that they’re real (though we can never be sure, of course). But beware of the slim profile without much substance. They’re not all bad. Certain individuals make independent profiles just to utilize Marketplace or Buy Nothing Groups, for instance, despite the fact that they don’t involve Facebook for social updates.
It is also quite easy to hack another user’s Facebook account or profile and use the hacked account to transact fraudulently on Marketplace or other sales platforms. Digital profiles are an easy way to pretend to be someone or something we aren’t.
3. Meet in Public
If possible, meet to exchange items in a public place. A busy gas station, mall, or grocery store parking lot can be a great place to meet to swap things. The more you can be seen by others, the better.
Coordinate with others in advance to determine exactly where you will meet, what type of car they are driving, and any other identifiable details so you can arrive knowing what to expect.
Apple Airpods 2nd Generation on charging case in Marketplace
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4. Use Instant Electronic Transfer (or Small Amount of Cash) At the Time of Redemption
To limit the risk of giving something away without the required payment or sending a payment and never receiving the item, use electronic transfers or small amounts of cash at the time of redemption. You don’t want to give something and don’t get paid or pay up front and the person doesn’t show up.
Avoid direct bank transfers, and use more anonymous payment apps like Venmo, Paypal, and Zelle which allow you to exchange cash with just a username or email address. Do not offer your bank account information. Someone asking for this information is most likely unkind.
5. Stick to Local Transactions
It’s very easy for scammers to demand payment and not provide the goods if you paid in advance and something wasn’t sent by post, for example. There’s little recourse with Facebook Marketplace if you pay for something and never receive it. Prioritize local transactions to limit your risk of never receiving your ordered item after payment.
6. Pick Up or Deliver with Friends
There may be times when it makes the most sense to take something straight from someone’s home or personal space. Large pieces of furniture, for example, may require a dedicated vehicle, and it is impractical to expect both parties using such a vehicle to meet in a central, common location.
If you have to go to someone’s home or private place to exchange things, bring a partner, friend, or other adult. This may not completely prevent negative interactions but it certainly reduces the risk.
7. Rely on Contactless Retrieval Wherever Possible
The recent pandemic has taught us a lot about contactless transactions. As much as possible, negotiate contactless pick-up or delivery. This may or may not be possible depending on the item you are buying or selling. But in most cases, you can leave the product on the patio or at the end of the driveway so you don’t have to interact with other people.
It sounds a bit anti-social (and unfortunate when we want to trust people in our community) but it can limit the risk of dangerous interactions with bad apples.
8. Consider the Credibility and Legitimacy of the List
Be wise about the nature of the items listed; consider whether it sounds reasonable and practical. If that list sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The price is much lower than a similar item of the same nature (especially a large purchase like a used vehicle), it may not be legit.
If someone owns a lot of a certain item (so it seems crazy), it’s probably stolen. And a large item is posted in multiple locations, it may be a fraudulent post as it is impossible to ship in all of those different places.
There are a number of different scenarios when a post doesn’t make sense. Be aware of inconsistencies and be aware that they may be an indication of something suspicious.
For example, the Pro Publica article highlights one post for 200 bottles of Tide detergent. Who has 200 bottles of Tide detergent? It’s likely stolen, and not someone you want to do business with (even if they didn’t mean to hurt you).
If you see a car for sale listed in many different and different geographic areas, it may be a scam post. They will ask for your money and never deliver the car. And they’re probably trying to “sell” it to people in a lot of other places too.
9. Limit High Value Transactions On This Platform
Consider avoiding these types of platforms for high value transactions. They cause problems in a number of ways. The emergence of transactions with large amounts of cash makes you an easy target for thieves, even in public places. Paying for high-value items before receiving them may result in never actually receiving delivery of your purchase. Selling an item without a payment receipt before transferring the item can mean you never get paid.
Some platforms have guarantees or payment protection packages that help reduce fraud. eBay, for example, has a $100,000 Vehicle Purchase Protection Plan while Facebook Marketplace has nothing like this (and doesn’t appear to be interested in starting something like that at the moment). It may be a good idea to limit bulk buying and selling to platforms with fraud prevention policies or warranties like eBay’s.
If you choose to use a peer-to-peer platform for bulk buying and selling, understand the risks and watch out for (as noted above) things that look too good to be true. They may.
10. Use good judgment and follow your instincts
In the end, there are various cliches around this. But if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure it passes the olfactory test (if it smells fishy, it probably does). If something about the transition feels strange or unusual, take it easy and reconsider. There are too many scams in peer-to-peer online selling platforms to use them without reasonable skepticism.
11. Ask the Police To Drive If You Have To Have Someone To Your Home
I didn’t think about this recommendation until I saw it shared in a Reader’s Digest article, but it’s an interesting security tactic to consider.
In many cases, you can ask the police to have someone pass through your house at a certain time if you need to have someone come to your house to pick up something you’re selling.
12. Beware of Scam Buyers
While most scams target buyers peer-to-peer and are perpetrated by fake sellers. There is an increasing number of fake buyer scams gaining popularity. In this case, someone pretends to be a legitimate buyer but intends to trick the real seller for money. Here is an example of how it works.
Recently posted a large piece of furniture for sale on Facebook Marketplace. In just a few minutes, I had two buyer inquiries. However, both of them offer to buy rather expensive furniture without being seen and without questioning the quality of the item.
More suspiciously, both buyers required the use of Zelle (and no other payment platform), quickly asked for my Zelle name and email, and insisted on paying immediately – days before we swapped furniture. All of this seemed too strange to me.
To validate my initial expectation that this wasn’t legit, I deferred the payment transaction, suggesting that we wait until we meet to see if they really want to buy the furniture once they see it. I said I don’t use Zelle and asked for a different payment method. They emphatically rejected both considerations. Obviously this is not an actual purchase offer.
A little internet search led me to the answer; this is the standard form of intentional deception that is regularly perpetrated using Zelle. It doesn’t appear to be a particular problem for Zelle. And can happen with any type of payment application. It effectively pretends that the buyer is paying. Then they get the goods without any real cash transfers or ask for a refund when the payment is never actually made. So in the end, the seller pays the fraudulent and conned buyer.
Swap Groups May Have Less Risk
Cash or high-value items drive most of the scams in this online marketplace. Thus, swap groups and Buy Nothing groups where no cash is exchanged and goods tend to be lower in value (compared to things like used cars and apartment rentals) attract fewer fraudsters and criminals. That doesn’t mean they won’t be around, so you should still be on the lookout. But it’s less likely that you’ll run into problems, especially when you have a small group and start viewing recurring profiles participating in exchange discussions.
The scam doesn’t end there, but be aware and respect the risks.
There are many ways criminals will continue to commit fraud through peer-to-peer selling applications. None of these tips are fool proof. There’s really no way to be 100% sure that you won’t fall victim to a scam without ending its use completely. Technology, review, and stronger operational oversight and controls can reduce the number of frauds. But we still have to be diligent in using this platform responsibly.
I’m not a major expert in using this network security. I will continue to use them with caution because I believe that they are valuable and are generally made up of good people with the best intentions.
However, as a proponent of this network, I also find it wise to note that transacting through this platform does require a level of diligence and careful consideration when managing relationships and interactions with other buyers and sellers.
I’d love to hear any other tips you have for staying safe when using Facebook Marketplace or other peer-to-peer sales networks. Share it in the comments so we can all benefit from it if you want.
