Are you looking for stay safe when using Facebook marketplace? Read to know more. Online marketplace is a necessity for all businesses. If you are one of those who are having their businesses only offline then it is high time to upgrade yourself and make your presence at online marketplaces.
When selling or purchasing online, it allows you to reach a larger audience and does not limit you to a particular place or area. In this way, you can boost the earning potential and if you are a buyer then there are the chances to get the items which are unavailable near you.
Being advantageous as an entertainment place, Facebook is also an excellent marketplace. It is a real-time medium for reaching a larger area. Here the seller uploads the pictures, descriptions, characteristics and other important details of their products and whosoever wants to purchase or needs them can contact the person who is selling that product. The contact can be made via Facebook Messenger or you can add your Whatsapp business number or any other method for contacting.
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Advantages Of Using Facebook Marketplace
There are several benefits of using the Facebook Marketplace for both seller and buyer. Let’s have a look on some of its benefits:
- Facebook Marketplace is an user-friendly platform which could be used through mobile phones too. You can purchase and sell the items just by sitting at home using your phone. Being a mobile app, it is extremely convenient to use.
- There could be easy management of the messages that you get from the sellers or buyers. Facebook is a platform that allows you to have paid as well as organic traffic. The more traffic you will have, the more your reach increases. In this way, you will get a lot of messages regarding your product. All such messages can be managed well if you are using facebook messenger app.
- Facebook marketplace can even be combined with other social media platforms. You will just need to add the contact details of other platforms like whatsapp and instagram, etc. While they are checking the product details, they can get access to have a proper communication with you.
- Posting the photos and videos of your product can boost the engagement and interest of the potential customers. This will ultimately make an impact on the users and your products and items may have a good sale.
- Facebook marketplace also allows users to use multiple methods for making the payments. You can even meet the person and then have the payments at the time of delivery. However, it is up to you which method you want to choose.
Tips For Staying Safe On Facebook Marketplace
#1. Shop At Local Level: When you are going to the Facebook marketplace then do assure that you are purchasing and selling the items in the areas you are known to. The foremost reason for this is you will not end up being in an Unfavourable position.
At Facebook marketplace, the range of choosing the areas is up to 500 miles but opting for it is not a good idea. Imagine your product has been shipped and the person who bought it cancels the payment. It is very risky to sell or buy from far away. If you are doing so make sure that the person you are trusting is genuine.
#2. Personal Information: It is definitely not advisable that you disclose any of your personal information with the seller or the buyer. There is no need to discuss your private details. Only share the required information that too with complete cautions.
It is possible that you find the need to share your address for delivery and pickups of large items but opt for a neutral place or public place to do so. This will not allow the person to get to know about your address or any such information. As a buyer too, you don’t have the need to share any details with the seller.
#3. Check The Profile Carefully: You cannot simply trust any person you are meeting online. It is very easy for the scammers to create fake profiles and trap the victims. No matter if you are the buyer or seller, you should be very careful when you are trusting the person. Make a research on their profiles; you will get enough information to know whether it is real or fake.
There are many possibilities by which they can take advantage of you. So, first assure yourself then only make any payment or sell your item. There is no guarantee of any person if they are real and genuine or fraudulent, so be cautious when you are trusting anyone online.
#4. Meeting In-person: Meeting the people you have met online is never a good idea as you never know what their actual intentions are. If meeting the person is actually important then it is highly advisable to meet them at such a place which is busy like cafes, or any other public places.
Never meet the person if they call you at their home or ask you to call them at your home. This will increase the chances of any Unfavourable conditions. If you have any doubt on the person then you can even contact the police. Also, don’t go to meet them alone as you can take your family members, friends, etc.
#5. Contactless Interaction: If it is possible then try to make contactless interactions for both selling and buying processes. Maintaining a contactless interaction will reduce any potential risk. This will be the safest method for collecting or giving the items until you are secure enough to meet them in-person.
You can opt for public places to put or collect the products. However, this may sound anti-social but keeping your safety in mind opting for contactless interaction is best. This will also eliminate the chances of dangerous interactions.
#6. Pre-meeting Preparations: It will be beneficial for you if you gather some necessary information about the person you are going to meet. This could be their physical appearance or any other simple way to identify the person.
You can go through their social media accounts to know this best. You can also ask them directly for such information. Apart from this, inform your family members or friends for any such plans including the timings, date and place. Moreover, you should be confident enough to meet them in-person. This will not allow the person to do anything inappropriate with you.
#7. Inspect The Items: It is true that the photos are a great way to know about the products when you are seeing them on your phones or desktops. However, you should inspect the items right away when you have received them. It is possible that sellers have hidden the defects of the items.
It is better to check the items before making payments or else it could be an issue for you. When you are selling or purchasing a smartphone then you need to be extra careful. If you are the seller then format your phone before selling and make sure there is no account logged in. In case you are purchasing the item then check all the accounts of the mobile have been wiped up.
#8. Instant Payment Methods: Having an instant payment mode at the time of collecting any item is the most preferable way to avoid any risks. Instant payments like cash or e-transfer reduce many risks and you also don’t need to be with the person for a long time.
Make sure that they make payments in front of you. If they say they will pay later on then it would not work. Also, there is no necessity of sharing the bank details as the payment could be made through e-transfer methods. Neither leave nor let the person go until the payment is completed. This will make your selling and purchasing smoother.
#9. Don’t Go Alone: Going alone to meet the person you have met at Facebook marketplace can bring you a lot of risks. It is better to take someone with you to collect the items. It is a smart move as it will reduce the risk of unwanted situations as well as injuries too.
If you are going to take something large then having someone with you will make your task easier. In case you are having a large amount of money or any costly item then you and the item could remain safe. Apart from all this, having a person to witness the transaction and exchange will be an excellent step that you can take for a safe and smooth sale.
#10. Trust Your Intuitions: When shopping or doing business at Facebook marketplace, it is essential to know that there are many people and not all are good or bad. It is important for you to distinguish between the two.
While making a purchase or selling the items, the most necessary is to trust what your mind says. If you have even a little doubt or find something to be fishy then stop right away and reconsider your decisions. This will prevent you from being a victim to any fraudulent activity.
Some Red Flags At Facebook Marketplace
Facebook marketplace is profitable and good until you stay careful. There are high chances of scams at such marketplaces so it is necessary to know the common red flags in order to remain safe. Here are some of these:
- If any item which has a high demand or is rarely available but the seller’s listing offers you it at a low price then it might be a way of scamming you. The item could not be real, damaged or might have any other issue. Avoid opting for such items and also from getting scammed.
- In case the seller or buyer asks you to involve a third party pick-up or delivery by their side then it can probably be a huge scam. They might have groups to scam or rob you when you meet them in-person.
- Another red flag can be asking for a payment request in someone else’s account. You never know where your money will go or they can even track your locations, hack your mobiles, and such more.
- The profile of the person is appearing to be fake then stop and do not trust them even if they are trying to prove themselves innocent. They could be scammers and dangerous for you so it is best to avoid any type of interactions with such account holders.
- As a seller you need to beware if the buyer is not ready to meet you in person. It is possible that the person is a fraudster or just faking his identity. It might be possible that they are afraid of being caught. For enhancing your security you can meet them near a police station.
- The seller or buyer is not ready to interact on facebook messenger and is asking for any other communication method then most probably it is a scam. Do not share any information with such people.
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Final Thoughts
Online marketplaces like Facebook, etc. are an excellent platform for both sellers and buyers. You can make a good income from it and the buyers would get whatever they need. However, everything has a good and bad side so these marketplaces too.
There are a lot of potential risks that you might become a victim of but remaining cautious and extra careful can reduce all such dangers. You can take advantage of the tips discussed here and stay safe from the fraudulent.
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