Scammers are targeting Facebook users in the UK, using a variety of tactics to deceive victims. One couple, teachers Lucie Trew and Chris Frost, listed Chris’s gaming laptop on Facebook Marketplace, hoping for a quick sale. A buyer approached them who checked out as a genuine person on Facebook, and they exchanged six or seven messages. The man came to their home, seemed friendly, and even met their three-month-old daughter. After seeing the laptop, he agreed on a price of £700, and Chris inputted his bank details into what seemed like the man’s banking app. Fifteen minutes later, the money still hadn’t cleared, but he showed them some wording about transfers taking time.
Lucie and Chris were reassured, and, with Elodie hungry, let the man leave with the laptop. But when the money never appeared and his Facebook profile disappeared, they realised they had been scammed. They reported the crime but received no help. Lucie and Chris’s story is not unique: the number of people complaining about scams on Facebook Marketplace increased from 4,923 in 2019 to 20,735 in 2020. Frauds include criminals pretending to be someone important and then using emotional levers to persuade their victims. Scam Interceptors co-presenter Nick Stapleton said that Facebook is “rife” with fraudsters.
Other people who have fallen victim to Facebook Marketplace scammers include Emma Kilby and her husband Andy, who run Knotty Knits & Kreative Krafts in Loughborough. Their business was used to front a fake craft fair advertised on Facebook. One of their customers suspected the ad was fraudulent because it hadn’t been posted by Andy or Emma. The ad requested £40 per stall for inside or outside. Emma clicked on the profile, seeing that it had no friends and the photograph was fake. They acted quickly, and no one lost any money, but Emma said it made them feel vulnerable, asking: “I don’t know how they sleep at night.”
Meta, the company that runs Facebook Marketplace, said it has a trained team of reviewers who check reports about scams 24/7 to remove accounts or content violating guidelines. The company also works with the police to support investigations. Derbyshire Police told Lucie and Chris to contact Action Fraud, who gave them reassurances about future risks. However, Action Fraud says that no one is immune from falling victim to scams and warns people to rush into decisions
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