The leading company in proactive threat detection, ESET, conducted a thorough analysis of the most common scam modalities detected on the Facebook Marketplace over the course of the year. This report details the crucial signals that users should pay attention to in order to identify and avoid falling into the traps of cybercriminals.
Under the direction of Camilo Gutiérrez Amaya, Head of the Research Laboratory at ESET Latin America, the growing appeal of Marketplace as an online shopping and sales platform has attracted the attention of cybercriminals, resulting in an increase in scams and deceptions on this platform.
- Defective Items: Sellers post products with misleading photos, presenting them in perfect condition, but deliver damaged products, especially problematic in electronic items.
- Fake Items: Cases of counterfeit goods, such as designer clothes, perfumes, jewelry, and cosmetics, are common. Tempting offers are often an indicator of possible deception.
- Google Voice Scams: They take advantage of Marketplace to commit fraud on other platforms, requesting verification codes to steal Google Voice accounts.
- Overpayment: Scammers pretend to be buyers who claim to have overpaid and request a refund of the difference, without actually making any payment.
- Never Arrive Purchase: Sellers receive payment but do not deliver the item, applicable to items shipped from outside the buyer’s local area.
- Phishing and Fake Sweepstakes: Scammers use phishing emails with fake offers and sweepstakes to get personal information from victims.
- Insurance Scam: They pretend to be buyers willing to pay for shipping, but ask the seller for a small fee for an insurance assumption.
- Misleading Offers: Advertise high-quality products at tempting prices, then inform the buyer that the product is no longer available, offering more expensive alternatives.
ESET tips for detecting scams on Facebook Marketplace
- Inspect Items Personally: Purchase only from local sellers and review items prior to transaction.
- Meeting in Safe Places: Establish as meeting point public places, well lit and preferably during the day.
- Review Buyer/Seller Profiles: Know profile ratings and be alert to newly created profiles.
- Check Market Prices: Be suspicious if there is a large difference between the selling price and the market price, as it could indicate forgery, theft or defects.
- Caution with Offers and Gifts: Avoid providing personal data to access offers and gifts.
- Use Trusted Payment Methods: Use secure payment methods through Facebook Messenger, such as PayPal and Facebook Checkout.
- Keep Conversations on Facebook: Avoid moving the conversation to other platforms where it’s easier to scam people.
- Do Not Send Items Before Payment: If you are a seller, do not send products before receiving payment.
- Monitor Price Changes: Be on the lookout for unexpected changes in the agreed price.
- Do Not Share Verification Codes: Avoid sharing verification codes with potential buyers.
It is advisable to denounce or report
In case of suspected fraud, ESET advises to report the vendor and immediately report the incident to the Facebook Marketplace. Gutiérrez Amaya underlines the importance of adopting good security practices to prevent problems when surfing and shopping online.
With information and image provided by ESET and Comstat Rowland
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