Digital marketplaces are a scammer’s hotspot. How to protect yourself.

Steven Mauro, 45, had no idea things would go terribly wrong when he tried to sell a Rolex watch on Facebook Marketplace two years ago.

The buyer asked all the right questions and negotiated a fair price, said the Massapequa Park resident, who has sold other items on the e-commerce platform with no issues. But when the buyer arrived, after Mauro handed over the watch, he asked Mauro to go around to the passenger door to pick up the cash.

“That’s when every red flag went off,” Mauro said.

Finding the side door locked, Mauro tried to open the driver’s door but the buyer threw the car in reverse, throwing Mauro onto the road. Mauro jumped onto the hood of the car, but fell. A police officer who witnessed the incident gave chase, but the driver escaped, Mauro said.

Mauro, who suffered scrapes in the incident, recovered $3,000 through insurance, less than half the $6,600 he paid.

Mauro still uses the Facebook platform, but said his trust in others has been “diminished.”

Meta, the company that owns Facebook, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The platform warns users that both buyers and sellers should be careful about scams and recommends that victims report incidents. 

Scams on Facebook Marketplace and other e-commerce platforms are fairly common and expected to more than double over the next five years, data shows. The U.K.-based TSB Bank found more than a third of advertisements on Facebook Marketplace placed in 2023 were potential scams and said Facebook Marketplace transactions made up 73% of all purchase fraud reported to the financial institution. 

Between 2024 and 2025, e-commerce fraud increased 207% in North America, according to Capital One, which estimated in a September report that, globally, online schemes would cost $138.56 billion in 2025. For scam victims, the toll of the experience is both financial and emotional, said an October Identity Theft Resource Center report.

The repercussions of the crime often inflicts “deep and lasting wounds on the emotional and physical well-being of victims,” the report said, with the “stress, fear and violation associated with these crimes” manifesting through a range of psychological and physical symptoms. 

Market research firm Juniper Research projects e-commerce fraud will explode 133% in the next few years, rising from $56 billion in 2025 to $131 billion in 2030. Many fraudsters will build out their own sites posing as businesses and take advantage of e-commerce and peer-to-peer platforms like social media marketplaces, according to Merchant Risk Council, a fraud prevention nonprofit.   

“Scammers are obviously out there because they’re trying to make a quick buck,” said Darius Kingsley, head of consumer fraud and scam prevention at JPMorgan Chase. “One of the fastest ways to do it is to latch onto the fact that so much of the way we live and shop today is online.”

The Federal Trade Commission has called social media a “golden goose for scammers.” Both buyers and sellers on e-commerce platforms should be wary of potential swindlers on the hunt for both money and personal information, experts said. Don’t give out personal information and be suspicious about offers that seem too good to be true.

Here are three things to know about e-commerce scams. 

What are some common e-commerce scams?

Scammers succeed by capitalizing on moments of vulnerability and often aim to foster a sense of urgency to push potential victims into acting before thinking, Newsday has reported. 

It’s easy to become a seller on an online marketplace, where many people turn to for last minute deals — priming them for “urgency,” and adding pressure to act quickly and overlook red flags, Kingsley said. “It preys on our need for these things.” 

Some common scam listings on digital marketplaces include puppies, concert tickets and rental properties, he said.

Scammers might also try to trick buyers into sharing personal details so they can hack bank accounts, or send a fake statement and ask their victims to send the money back, Kingsley said.

Watch out for buyers trying to pay with checks, which can bounce, said Ping Yang, director of the Center for Information Assurance and Cybersecurity at Binghamton University.

Sometimes scammers might also intentionally send more money than the item costs via check or e-check, she said, and ask for the seller to refund the extra amount before the check bounces.

That scam may also show up as the buyer showing a fake statement showing extra money was sent to the seller’s account, Kingsley said. 

Some sellers may post fake listings as well, Yang said, and never send the item after they’ve been paid or ship something damaged.

How can I protect myself?

Don’t share sensitive information such as you’re your bank account, credit card or Social Security number, experts said. Be wary of sharing personal details like your address and phone number.

Also, look out for buyers who agree to purchase something quickly with little negotiation, especially for expensive items, Yang said.

“If anything seems to be too good to be true, then probably it is,” she said.

Check seller ratings, Yang added, and when shopping online be wary of fake websites that advertise products at “very low” prices.

“It’s safest to buy from experienced sellers with positive reviews, but if you’re considering a new seller, always try to see the item in person or have the service completed before paying,” Kingsley said.

It’s also wise to meet in a safe, public place, he said. Be wary of requests for upfront payments, deposits or application fees, and ask for additional proof of ownership if possible.

It’s better to use platforms with stronger consumer protections, like eBay or Poshmark, rather than sites like Facebook Marketplace that are usually peer-to-peer, said Al Pascual, CEO and co-founder at Scamnetic, an AI-based scam detection company based in Tampa, Florida. 

It’s also best to use a credit card for financial transactions, which offers some safety measures against fraud, he said.

Facebook advises against moving conversations outside of Facebook Messenger and offers purchase protection for eligible transactions made through a checkout process on the platform.

Kingsley also warned to be cautious of “prices that seem too good to be true” and sellers trying to rush the transaction.

“It’s best to walk away rather than risk being scammed,” he said. 

What should I do if I’ve been scammed?

It’s difficult to recover lost funds on platforms like Facebook Marketplace, experts said.

But it’s still important to report scam incidents to your financial institution, or whatever party was responsible for moving the money involved, the marketplace platform where the scam took place, and to file a police report, Pascual said.

“At a minimum that may also help protect other people by getting someone maybe removed from a platform,” he said.

There’s a chance that crypto payments, if caught within 24 hours, can be frozen before the transaction is complete, Pascual said.

It’s also a good idea to change passwords, even if it seems like your account hasn’t been hacked, Kingsley said, and put a block on opening new lines of credit. 

So far in 2026, Nassau County residents have reported five scams on Facebook Marketplace and one on eBay, according to Nassau police. In January 2025, Nassau residents reported seven Facebook Marketplace scams.

Suffolk County police does not track the number of scam incidents reported, police said.

At the end of the day, there is a risk associated with online marketplaces, Pascual said. 

“Trust your gut — legitimate sellers will understand your need for caution,” Kingsley said.