Yet another Facebook scam
 

I posted some tools to sell on Facebook Marketplace and some guy named "Bossa" offered to pay me for a table saw with Zelle and said his son with the truck would come by and pick it up. The "Zelle" notification went straight to my spam folder. It looked real, but said the transaction was on hold because my bank account wasn't a business account and that the sender would need to raise the amount to $300 so they could convert it to a business account so the transaction would go through. Have you ever heard anything so absurd?

So I asked him what the hell was going on and he said he got the same message, but he would trust me to send me the $300 and then I could just bounce it back to him.

How dumb do these idiots think people are? Does that ever work? I literally copied the text of the fake Zelle message into Google search and it immediately produced a warning of that exact scam. So I clicked the guy's profile and it said he was in Orlando, but the spelling was "Bre Bossa". So I searched for "Bossa" and found a guy in India with a similar empty profile and no real name. And, of course, there was no way to report either fake profile as a known scammer -- all I could do was flag them both as possible fakes.

I don't know why Facebook refuses to clean up their mess. How would you even go about creating a fake profile? I remember being forced to prove my identify when I first started using it years ago. Apparently, that rule only applies to non-criminals.

I think the only way to get through to Zuckerberg is to quit using Facebook until they quit allowing these stupid scams and fake profiles. I deleted my profile. I'm done with it.

I have never used it and never will. It is a security risk.

I listen to my grandkids advising me I would be lame to stay on Facebook basically all social media.
But I’m here finding out CostCo is coming soon.

So how does this scam work? Do they expect you to send the $300 back to them before you confirm that you received it?

Yes, the scammer wants you to think that you have received money that you have not received. You will then "return" money to the scammer that you actually never received.

I'm glad this is all way over my head, so I don't use it.

I got back on Facebook specifically for neighborhood info on the area I bought a house in the Villages. The amount of scams today is insane. Between the autistic kid t-shirt designer, the duct cleaning, and the car detailing I hardly seen any posts.

Is the true scam a means to obtain your bank account number or credit card information? They would then empty your bank account or use your credit card to purchase items more than $300.

I do not use Facebook for groups in the Villages. A friend of mine ended up with an uncomfortable stalking situation. (looking for a romance type) The stalker was at every meeting or social event when not a member of the club. Finally realized it was the Facebook page. Stopped using it, stalker problem disappeared.

Why don’t you donate the tools to Habitat for Humanity?

Zelle is not a security risk any more than a check is. Ditto for Venmo. OTOH, any transaction with a stranger who asks you to refund them money you have not received is an obvious scam. We were victims of ID theft years ago and the scammer started printing checks and issuing them all over town. It took 6 months to get it cleaned up and now we have all three of our credit files locked down so no one can open credit in our name. It is a PITA if you want to open a new account somewhere because you have to go online an Unfreeze the account long enough for the business to verify your credit history, then lock it again.
Zelle, Venmo and PayPal are all accepted, safe means of conducting a transaction, just like a credit or debit card.

SCAM they were using the PayPal exactly like this years ago !

Try eBay
 

I don’t have any experience selling housewares or other items online, because I just donate these items. However, I know people who have had success with eBay. Apparently their rules are stricter and eBay has seller protection policies in place that Facebook doesn’t have.

Facebook, World Wide Web and attitudes are loaded with scams and bad info.
The data that used to be helpful is ruined by all the scammers, social media and advertisers!

It is important to use the web for info on reliable sites. I learn so much health info on Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, NIH, etc. Stay away fro health line, web MD and those sites as info may be inaccurate. When selling something on marketplce immediately refuse any early payment, never give your phone number, or address until the time they are coming. They can see what town you live in and don't need the exact address early on. Check their FB profile to see if they exist with pictures of family, friends etc. Scams usually won't have a legitimate profile or a new one. Still it's not as easy as it could be to rule out scams

Yes, it’s a scam. But if you post things for sale here or on V-N, you will find the same scam being played, or a related scam. What matters is getting your thing sold, for cash. If you are selling a golf cart, where people might not have that amount in cash, only sell to villagers, and check them out, and go with them to the bank or something. I’m not sure, but I think the “I’m sending my son to pick it up” thing is because these are companies that have workers who spend all day buying things on line at good prices, or the best price they can get, then send less intelligent people to pick them up for less money. They usually want to pay with a cashier’s check or a money order, and neither is safe anymore. PayPal is safe because it automatically takes the money from the buyer’s bank account or credit card and is on the hook if the money isn’t there.

A worse scam is the one where the buyer says he will pay you more than your asking price if you accept and cash a cashier’s check or. Money order. Beware.