Facebook Marketplace is one of the best tools on the internet to get your hands on a used car. However, like Craigslist before it, Facebook Marketplace is home to scams, fraudulent activity, and straight-up maliciousness. Don’t fret, though. You can stay a few steps ahead of car-buying and car-selling scammers with these tips. 

Facebook Marketplace scams are plentiful, so it’s important for buyers and sellers to remain vigilant and stay safe

So let’s say you found the perfect car. Better yet, it’s at the perfect price and not too far away. Outstanding. The problem is, that little voice-of-reason is telling you this particular Facebook Marketplace find is, in fact, one of the platform’s many scams. To stay ahead of those naughty-list buyers and sellers, try some of these tactics. 

• Avoid giving sensitive information to buyers or sellers
• Beware fake or sketchy payment methods
• Consider using a neutral, monitored meeting place
• Never accompany another person to a second, unknown location
• Don’t be afraid to walk away from a deal

For starters, play your cards close. Put simply, don’t volunteer more information than you need to, especially as a buyer. More importantly, don’t give anyone your sensitive information like your exact address. Malicious actors can use your information to take advantage of you.

If the buyer you’re working with wants to arrange delivery of your vehicle before paying through an approved method, you’re likely getting scammed. What’s more, KeySavvy suggests that some scammers may try to overpay you. Sounds great right? Well, they may use a fake payment and demand the difference. That means they end up with the difference out of your account and you’re left with nothing.

Should you agree on terms, set up a transaction location with safety in mind. For instance, police and fire departments across the country have zones for buyers and sellers to safely carry out transactions under the watchful eye of first responders and cameras.

Let’s say you arrive to meet a buyer or seller, and they say, “Cool, we just have to go to my place. It’s close.” While that might seem innocent enough, it could be part of a scam or malicious act. Incidentally, a scammer recently stole a man’s Honda Pilot and everything in the SUV using this very tactic. 

Finally, as a car buyer or seller, you have agency. Don’t be afraid to walk away from a deal. If a deal seems like a scam, there’s a good chance it’s not on the level. Moreover, if you run into any obvious signs of scam activity or malicious intent, report the user to Facebook using the ellipsis (three dots) function on a Marketplace listing. Buy and sell smart, folks.