Marketplace buyer and seller scams
Marketplace scams target buyers and sellers with fake couriers, overpayments, fake escrow, and deposits to 'hold' items.
Quick answer: Keep deals on the official platform; never pay couriers, deposits, or fees to receive money or goods.
How marketplace buyer and seller scams work
Buyers ask you to pay a 'courier' or refund an 'overpayment'; sellers ask for deposits to 'hold' items or ship cars/pets.
Fake payment emails, escrow links, and below-market prices create false trust.
Off-platform payments and direct transfers have no buyer or seller protection.
Common opening lines
- “I'll send a courier - pay the fee now and I'll refund it.”
- “I accidentally overpaid - please refund the difference.”
- “Pay a deposit to hold the item for you.”
Example patterns
Sanitised examples - placeholders only, never real links or data.
Example only: I'll send a courier. Pay the courier fee now and I'll refund it with the payment.
Example only: Let's use this secure escrow service - deposit here to release the item: [fake-link removed]
What the scammer wants
- A 'fee' or deposit for a sale that never completes
- Your card/bank details via fake checkouts
- To exploit trust with fake payment proof
Where it spreads
Platforms: Facebook Marketplace, Marketplace, WhatsApp
Brands impersonated: Facebook
Watch especially in: United States, United Kingdom, India
Red flags
- fake payment
- payment request
- too good
What to do now
- Stop paying and keep the deal/communication on official channels.
- If money moved, contact your bank or payment provider immediately.
- Save evidence and report to your national cybercrime authority.
What not to do
- Don't pay a fee to receive money, a refund, a prize, or to 'release' funds.
- Don't pay via gift cards, wire, or crypto to someone you haven't verified.
- Don't trust payment screenshots as proof of payment.
If you already responded
If you went further: if you clicked, don't enter anything and change any details you typed; if you entered card details, freeze the card with your bank; if you shared an OTP, change the password and enable app-based 2FA; if you paid, contact your bank or provider immediately; if you installed an app or gave remote access, disconnect, uninstall, and change passwords from a clean device.
How to verify safely
Keep all communication and payment on the official marketplace, use its protected checkout, and verify buyers/sellers there.
How to report
Report through official channels you find yourself - never a number or link from the message. Tell your bank or payment provider if money moved, and file with your national fraud or cybercrime body. Find the right links in the reporting directory. Open the reporting directory.
Watch for 'recovery' offers afterwards: anyone promising to get your money back for an upfront fee is running a second scam.
Related scam messages you can check
- fake payment screenshot (marketplace) Likely scam
- Facebook Marketplace courier scam Likely scam
- buyer sends courier pickup scam Likely scam
- overpayment refund scam Likely scam
- fake escrow marketplace scam Likely scam
- pet adoption deposit scam Likely scam
- used car deposit scam Likely scam
- fake car shipping fee scam Likely scam
- fake item hold deposit scam Likely scam
Related platforms
Related brand impersonation
Report in your country
Related red flags
Emergency guides
Related terms
Sources checked
- FTC Consumer Advice - Imposter scams
- FBI IC3 - Senior US officials impersonated in malicious messaging campaign (2025)
Frequently asked questions
Why is the buyer asking me to pay a courier?
Because it's a scam. Real buyers don't make sellers pay courier or insurance fees. Keep it on the platform.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-05
This is general safety information, not legal, financial, or cybersecurity incident-response advice. We can't detect every scam or guarantee recovery - always verify through official channels.