Official Facebook warning over scams that rinse your bank account – how to spot them

FACEBOOK has warned users what to look out for when buying stuff from its Marketplace platform over concerns about scams.

Facebook Marketplace has been about since 2016, allowing people to buy and sell just about anything without any fees.

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But it comes with risks.

There have been worrying reports of the platform allegedly being abused to murder unsuspecting buyers.

However, the more prevalent issue is being ripped off.

According to Facebook's own guidance, it's a problem for both sellers and buyers that you need to be aware of.

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They warn that fraudulent sellers will "purposely sending you something significantly different from what you paid for".

For example, someone who sells you a used item that they listed as new.

Another sign is someone who claims they sent the product to you, when they didn't.

If you're a seller, the dangers you need to look out for from dodgy buyers include requests for you to send items before you receive the money.

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Another red flag is someone reporting their transaction as fraud after they've received the item from you.

A buyer claiming that they never received the order from you when they did, is also a bad sign.

The social network also has advice on when a listing looks dishonest or fake.

As the saying goes, if it's too good to be true, it probably isn't.

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So be aware of a suspiciously low price, as it could be a counterfeit.

You should think again if a the listing encourages you to contact the seller outside of Marketplace too.

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