Very dodgy, plenty of pictures but EFT only.
No COD, chat via WhatsApp but if you call the number has been disconnected.
These are scam from a mile away.
Price is quite cheap to encourage people to buy.
Anyone been scammed buying mobile phones on Facebook Market Place?
punter1 on 04/09/2019 - 18:59
Last edited 04/09/2019 - 20:42 by 1 other user
Last edited 04/09/2019 - 20:42 by 1 other user
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Alot of doggy and not enough kitty
Just like gumtree face to face cash only…
Messages via FB, face2face public meet up and accept cash only.
Also check their profile first. If its 1st time seller and if its a private profile, get ready for red flag. Even if you can see theirs, it could be hijacked account and they will try to waste your time.
NEVER give out your mobile number or home address.
They tried to convince me that it's not a scam by sending the screenshot payment
Thanks to years of ozbargain stories. I'll never purchase a 2nd hand electronic from Gumtree or Facebook. Only refurbished items from reputable online sellers.
Well here is the opposite, I have bought heaps of iPhones, iPads, off gumtree never had a problem. You obviously don’t know what you are doing.
Yeah ok. You sound like a scammer trying to defend yourself.
How do i scam someone from buying their phone you goose lol
@[Deactivated]: It's not worth the risk sometimes. As you said, there are ways to get around it but scammers are getting smarter.
Especially with devices that are stolen, locked after purchase. It doesn't even help buy paying with cash or even PayPal with no protection.
I've done the same and agree. If you know what you're doing, then there's really nothing to worry about.
It's the risk-reward really. And there are some risks you can't mitigate - someone can report a phone stolen and Apple ID lock it after you've gotten it as an example.
And it depends how much you save - if you save $20/$50 per transaction on transactions of $1,000 or so, you need to come out 20-50 times to just break even in case you get scammed just once.
Anyone been scammed buying mobile phones on Facebook market place?
No, I have not been scammed, because I'm not stupid enough to buy anything from Facebook marketplace, by sending the 'seller' a payment using EFT.
Price is quite cheap to encourage people to buy.
Of course. They're taking advantage of that fact that people's brains stop working when they become greedy.
I bought a S10+ yesterday. Agreed price was $740 which seemed very good, it was an older lady who had young kids so I assumed she needed fast cash.
Anyways we meet up in an Aldi which she suggested. I check the phone out, everything looks genuine, there's a few small scratches she didn't mention so I brought it up and she knocks $20 off the price bringing it to $720. I think I'm getting the bargain of the century.
So she originally wanted cash but since she didn't have the box or receipt, I requested bank transfer for my safety. She gives me her details and I transfer the money, which clears to her account immediately (Osko). I say thank you and leave to get something to eat.
While eating, I try set up the phone. The first thing I notice is that there are Optus apps on the phone, while she told me the phone was locked to Telstra. I put my Telstra SIM in and I get a 'Phone service not allowed' notification. I assume there is either something in the SIM tray that needs to be cleaned out or the phone is locked to Optus, and decide to check it out when I get home.
At home, I can't figure out whats going on, google isn't much help. I decide to call Optus who tell me the IMEI was reported stolen back in June. At this point, I'm shitting myself as I consider myself knowledgeable with this sort of stuff. I send the seller a message and she isn't responding so I call my bank who tell me they will contact her bank (ANZ) and request a reversal. They advise me to call the police. By then, the lady responded to my message asking me how I know it is stolen, I explain the AMTA IMEI check website and ask her to send my money back. About 30 mins later, she sends me a screenshot of the refund she sent. The funds cleared to my account later that night.
So now, she explains to me that she bought it off some other guy on FB for $800 CASH, who probably stole it. She says she honestly didn't know it was stolen and she apologizes and asks me to help get her money back. The original seller isn't responding to her messages. I ask her to add me and a couple of his friends to the FB chat, which she does. I send him a message asking him to do the right thing and pay this lady her money back. About an hour later he replies, saying someone sold him the phone and that he's in the same position, is unable to pay immediately, 'isn't a shit (profanity)', will 'sort it out'. Supposedly his father is a police officer too.
Which is where we are at now, I've still got the phone and my money. We've decided to give the guy until Friday to sort it out after which we are going to involve the police. We've got his FB and I've asked the lady to screenshot some of his photos and his friends names in case he blocks her/deletes his account. Personally, I don't think he will do right by her just going off the appearance of his profile looks like he is involved with drugs. But I guess we have to try.
If anyone has any suggestions on what to do, who to talk to, should we involve police now etc, let me know
Oh wow. A very unfortunate set of events but glad you got your money back. What a nice read. I suggest report it to the police, so at least he's on their system. If you suspect he's on drugs thats even better since they can help and stop him from doing further damage.
I'm concerned that once the police get involved he will have less of an incentive to pay her back.
Poor old lady, she's just too naive. She probably doesn't even know that the phone is in the blocked state.
You're right, I think she is naive. One look at the guy and she should've known something was wrong with the phone.
Naive - but still tried to onsell it…
I don't really buy her story. She bought it for $800 but was happy to resell it for $740? And she didn't even turn it on or try to use it (at which point she would've realised it's bricked)?
She could have tried her Optus sim in they phone and when it didn't work assumed it was locked to Telstra or something like that. Some people don't have a clue about phones.
So many people listing almost identical ad's on markeplace… Iphone XR 256 GB Band New 2 year apple warranty.. $800 and free air pods! I messaged one of the sellers whose FB profile shows up as living in Melbourne.. asking him where pick up is… And he responds, pick up only available from our store in Perth but we can post it to you for free….
I can confirm they are all scam. Fake stores and photos don’t match up
I'm sure someone here has a story.