Rip Off Britain – Selling on Facebook Marketplace advice
On our programme on Wednesday 10th January 2024, Rip Off Britain investigated scammers tricking genuine sellers on Facebook Marketplace to part with their goods by spoofing online payment company, PayPal. In HQ, technology journalist David McClelland joined us to give some advice on how to stay safe when selling on Facebook. And, PayPal have sent us their tips to spot fraudulent phishing emails.
How does selling on Facebook Marketplace work?
• The thing to remember about Facebook Marketplace is that it is simply a listing and introduction service, much like the classified ads in the back of a newspaper
• Unlike some other platforms, Facebook takes no responsibility for any payment protection, any listing protection or any buyer protection
• It is not clear the extent to which Facebook Meta, the owner of Facebook, vets the buyers and sellers on Marketplace
• If you are buying or selling on Facebook Marketplace and come across someone you suspect may be a fraudster, remember - take your time, ask advice. And if in doubt, walk away.
PayPal’s ten tips to steer clear of phishing scams'
1. Check the basics: Look out for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, which are a common tell-tale sign of a fraudulent message.
2. Verify its authenticity: Phishing scams often mimic the look and feel of PayPal emails or texts and ask you for sensitive information – something that we will never do. At PayPal, we will always address you by your full name.
3. False sense of urgency? Be wary of communications that conjure a sense of urgency; many phishing scams tell you that your account will be in jeopardy if something critical is not updated right away.
4. Spot the difference: A genuine PayPal message will only ever address you by your full name, or your business name – anything that starts differently should immediately raise your suspicions. Be wary of impersonal greetings like “Dear User” or your email address.
5. Beware attachments: A real email from PayPal will never include attachments. You should never open an attachment unless you are 100% sure it’s legitimate, because they can contain spyware or viruses.
6. Log into PayPal: If you receive a suspicious email or text claiming to be from PayPal, don’t act on the message, click on any links or, if a text, call the number it is sent from. Instead, open your browser, log into PayPal and check for any new activity. If we do need you to take any action – you will have a secure message waiting within your PayPal account.
7. Avoid following links: If you receive an email or text you think is suspicious, do not click on any links. When on your desktop, you can check where a link is going before you click on it by hovering over it – does it look legitimate?
8. Keep tabs on your information: Limit the number of places where you store your payment information online by using a secure digital wallet like PayPal. If you make a purchase online with PayPal and your item doesn’t arrive or match the product description – we may be able to reimburse you through our .
9. Easiest of all, use common sense: If a deal looks too good to be true – it probably is! Steer clear of clicking on links to exceptional offers or anything that is significantly reduced in price from what you would expect to pay.
10. Report it: If you think that you’ve received a phishing email, you can forward it to spoof@paypal.com without changing the subject line. We’ll look into it and let you know if it is indeed fraudulent. If you think you’ve received a spam text, forward it to ‘7726’.
You can find more information from PayPal about to spot phishing emails .
