Online selling platforms such as Facebook Marketplace are a wonderful way for people to find products they want near them at a discounted price. However, sometimes it can be unsafe. There have been a few instances where people have been victims of “online robberies”, where they’ve met up with people just to be robbed by them. If you want to use Facebook Marketplace safely, follow these tips below.
Buy and Sell Locally
One of the largest concerns with using Facebook Marketplace is online scams. It’s quite easy for someone to scam you if you sell or buy products with shipping. Because of this, it’s best to stick with eBay or platforms designed for shipping products. If you want to use Facebook Marketplace safely, consider buying things from your local area.
Bring a Friend Along With You
No matter if you’re buying or selling, it’s best to bring someone with you if you are meeting up with a stranger. If you are alone, someone might be more willing to try and rob you. However, it’s more likely that you’ll be left alone if another person is with you.
Meet in a Public Space
When you’re meeting up with someone to buy or sell an item, a public area is the best place to do so. Although it may be easier to meet up at someone’s home, it can be extremely unsafe for them to know where you live. To stay as safe as possible, meet up at a public location.
Pay at the Time of Exchange
Instead of paying online or beforehand, when you buy and sell items on Facebook Marketplace, it’s best to make this exchange in person. You can do this with cash or a mobile payment app like PayPal or Venmo. Although you may be tempted to pay for the product beforehand, it’s easier for you to get scammed this way.
Keep Your Information Private
Keeping your personal information private is extremely important, so it’s best not to share certain information with other people. Although it’s easy to engage in small talk, don’t share information such as your workplace, family members, or home address with a stranger. These questions can easily come up organically, but avoid sharing this information to keep yourself safe.
Do Research on the Other Person
Before meeting up with someone you don’t know, it could be helpful to do a little research on that person. Someone who wants to rob or scam you most likely won’t use their real name. To determine if someone is using a fake name, you can use PeopleFinders. You can perform a people search to find people’s full names and learn more about them.
Final Thoughts
Online buying and selling platforms, like Facebook Marketplace, are great ways to find products you want at a low price around your local area. However, it’s essential to take steps to keep yourself safe during the process. Using PeopleFinders to find general information can help you stay safe when buying and selling online.