In the third quarter of 2025, Facebook self-reported that 4 percent of its active monthly users were fake, translating to 120 million fake users. Because Facebook Marketplace is the top resale platform for listing used goods locally, buyers and sellers alike should be on high alert for scams. Whether you’re browsing that online marketplace or others, your best bet to stay safe is to buy, sell, and communicate only through the platform’s system.
Once upon a time, Friday nights meant flipping through classified ads to plan the weekend’s yard sales. While the occasional yard sale sign still pops up around the neighborhood, most local person-to-person (sometimes called P2P or C2C for “consumer to consumer”) reselling has shifted online.
Today, shoppers and sellers turn to familiar platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and OfferUp to find their next deal.
But scammers love the “gently used” marketplaces, too. Here’s proof: In 2026, Capital One Shopping reported that 34 percent of ads on Facebook Marketplace were scams. That means one in three ads on Facebook Marketplace is a trap.
It shouldn’t surprise us. Scammers follow the money, and the credit company’s researchers noted that in just one month: one billion people shop on Facebook Marketplace, 491 million people said they got on Facebook just to go to Facebook Marketplace, and 250 million sellers list items on Facebook Marketplace.
So, how can you reduce your risk of getting scammed on resale sites, whether that’s as a seller or buyer?
How to shop safely on resale marketplaces
With resale shopping now as easy as scrolling through your phone, the popularity of used goods markets is a no-brainer.
There are two aspects of shopping safely in these marketplaces: online safety and personal safety.
Tips for online safety
Start with a brief search for the platform along with the words “scams” or “scam statistics.” This should reveal any current issues with the marketplace. If the feedback is too off-putting, use a different platform.
If you dive in, follow these best practices:
Stick to in-app purchases and messaging. Most times, this includes built-in protections should the sale fall through due to a scam. If the seller hasn't enabled the in-app option to buy the item, ask them whether they will list it that way. Facebook Marketplace offers purchase protection, but only for goods bought through their system. Also communicate with sellers through the app’s own messaging system.
Research the seller. How are their ratings? Does the profile look like it was recently created just to sell? Is there a profile photo?
Use your personal scam radar. Is the price too good to be true? Is the item so rare that it’s strange to have found it? Does the description note the seller is only selling the box or package for the actual related item? Are the photos only screenshots of catalog listings or stock photos, rather than images of the actual item?
It’s also important to know when to walk away. Stop communication or cancel the transaction if the seller:
Pressures you to act quickly
Asks for your email, account numbers, or any other personally identifiable information (PII)
Sends links for payment or asks you to pay outside the app
Shares an overly detailed or emotional story to rush the sale
Requests payment via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency
Mentions a “verification code” as part of the process
Asks for prepayment before you’ve seen the item
Repeatedly changes plans (shipping, meetup details, timing)
Offers free shipping unexpectedly
Claims there was an issue with your payment
Tips for personal safety
While Craigslist’s safety tips note that, by and large, transactions within its community are safe, the platform still warns users to protect themselves when trading goods for money in person.
Here’s what Craigslist and others suggest for in-person transactions:
Meet at a safe public location, like a police station. (Use Safetradespots.com to find locations convenient to you and the seller.) Never share your personal address, phone number, or email address during the exchange.
Pay in cash after you inspect the item. You can use payment apps like Zelle or Venmo, but keep in mind these payments are typically irreversible—so only send money once you’re confident the transaction is legitimate.
Test electronics. Coffee shops can be a safer, public place to do this.
Skip buying cars, boats, campers, and the like. Use specialty platforms with built-in protections instead, such as Carvana or CarMax.
Avoid renting property and purchasing tickets or puppies on these marketplaces.
How to sell safely on resale marketplaces
Sellers should follow the same tips as buyers for online and personal safety. In addition, sellers should heed this advice:
Set your profiles to private before posting items. (Alternately, review your past posts and set overly personal ones to private.)
Photograph items in neutral settings to avoid compromising your privacy. Edit out visual details about your home, children, and personal life.
Be polite, but also curt and businesslike. Don’t overshare about why the item is for sale or details about your personal life.
Keep your sensitive info private, including your personal email address, phone numbers, financial information, and address.
If possible, use a P.O. Box for a return address if you are shipping an item.
Accept only payment for the cost and shipping of the item. “Accidental” overpayment is a sign of a scam.
Watch out for screenshots of supposed payments. Facebook says this can be a scam tip-off. Instead, look for in-app payment confirmations.
What to do if you get scammed on an online marketplace
If you got scammed on a resale site, report the incident to the platform and any financial institution you used. Follow their protocols for recovery. If you're an Allstate Identity Protection member, our specialists can also guide you through the next steps and work to minimize the impact.
Also, you can help officials crack down on such crimes when you report marketplace scams to the Federal Trade Commission, your state attorney general, and the local police.
If you paid by credit or debit card, file a dispute with your credit or debit card company and withhold payment while the company investigates.
