Let’s face it – if you’ve used Facebook for any length of time, you know there’s no vested interest in preventing fake accounts, deleting scammers, or preventing fraud. Clicks are king, and like the old adage goes, “If it’s free, YOU are the product.” Facebook collects vast amounts of user data which they then sell to advertisers to target specific demographics. Facebook Marketplace is a scam-friendly platform, poorly managed and operated, and even obvious scam accounts are mollycoddled by the Facebook algorithm.
A large part of my career was spent conducting complex investigations. I’ve been a forum owner for 20+ years, and an admin and moderator on nearly 30 Facebook pages for Datsuns, Nissans, and Infinitis for several years. Back in the forums heyday, it was much easier. Anyone suspected of having bad intent could be warned, banned, or tracked down and visited (true story for another article). I’ve noticed an interesting trend: It’s not the “older” guys falling victim to FB scams, it’s the generation who don’t recall life before social media. If it’s on the Internet, it must be true, right?
So, let’s get down to it. This info should be helpful for those of you who browse Marketplace, or those who oversee communities of your own. For obvious reasons, I’m a huge proponent of keeping groups and pages private. This cuts down on trolls and people who have nothing better to do than post on pages that they have zero interest in (and zero knowledge of).
Let’s cover Marketplace protections first. AutoTrader, Craigslist, and the local Classified ads have all gone the way of the dodo, and Marketplace is generally a great place to find damn near anything… but it’s also a great place to get scammed.
When you spot an ad that piques your interest, READ the whole ad. Click on the seller’s profile. Typically, there’ll be some feedback from other buyers, but don’t be in a rush – rummage through their profile. For example, if they’re selling parts from an early Z car, it’s only logical that SOMEWHERE in their profile, there’s evidence of Z car ownership. Look at the groups they belong to. Are they a member of a ton of different car pages? If they’re allegedly into Tauruses, C10 pickups, Corvettes, Harley Davidsons, Austin-Healys and BMW 3-series cars, there’s a likelihood there’s something sketchy going on.
What’s their “About me” page say? Is it blank? Does it list their occupation as “digital creator?” Both should be red flags. Look at how active they have been with previous sales. Conduct an online search of their name to see if it appears in reports of scams.
Look at their friends list next. In my case, after 20+ years in the Datsun community, it stands to reason that another enthusiast will have a few friends in common. If not, it’s not necessarily a dealbreaker, but it should perk up your fraud alert.
Next, search the images they posted in their ad. It’s pretty simple, especially on mobile. Save the pic, then open it in your gallery. Typically, there’ll be an option to use Lens, Google’s image search function. This shows you if the picture was stolen from Ebay, an online vendor, or someone else’s old Marketplace ad (you’d be amazed at how many scammers I’ve banned for listing a car for sale with pics from a recent Bring a Trailer auction).
After doing all that, there’s one more step, but make sure you’re actually ready to purchase at this point. Ask the seller to shoot a pic of the item with a piece of paper with your name on it. If they can do that, there’s a good chance they’re legitimate, and you should be more comfortable proceeding with the transaction.
But that’s not the end of it, because you can STILL be scammed! Transferring funds is the last step, and sellers who insist upon Zelle, Venmo, crypto, or some other form of payment are usually questionable. PayPal carries buyer protection in the event your item isn’t shipped or doesn’t arrive. Don’t be talked into paying via “Friends and Family” just so the seller can avoid a small fee. Offer to cover the fee, and only use Goods and Services. Again, any resistance can be interpreted as shadiness, and it’s OK to bail out of the transaction. You’re not done, though – Be sure to report the seller to the page admin so that we can delete and ban them (after all, they wasted your time).
With all that said, let’s discuss scam pages and groups. The past several years have seen a marked increase in legitimate-looking groups, and people are all-too-eager to join. I mean, I’d be a fool to ignore an invitation to “NOS Datsun Parts For Sale“, right? These groups exist for one purpose: To appear legitimate to unsuspecting buyers. Tons of pics of rare, clean, and desirable parts, just ready to be purchased at great prices? It almost makes you wonder why they don’t just list everything on Ebay and retire in Monaco. The truth is, some quick sleuthing will tell you if these groups are real or a scam. Often, you’ll see a discussion of someone looking for a particular part. Some random schlep will reply right away, saying “Contact Alphonse’s Rare Parts and Pizza Parlor.” That’s a link to a scam page – but be advised, some of them are pretty convincing. You’ll need to think critically here: Why would a complete stranger give a damn if you find a grille for a 1968 Datsun 510? They don’t. Stick to referrals from known, trusted members of groups, with a complete, visible profile and documented activity in that group.
To identify a scam group, let’s start with the low-hanging fruit: Spelling. I recently banned all members of a group that literally misspelled “Infiniti” repeatedly on their profile page. Use of emojis and text-speak is another clue, as are messages with some sort of urgency – “Kindly remit payment so may we ship right away to you.” Another clue: “Shipping worldwide.” Offshore accounts really overuse this term, and realistically, it should be assumed that a seller will be happy to ship overseas if you pay the postage.
Click on the moderators’ and administrators’ profiles. As discussed above, there should be some evidence of ownership or enthusiasm for that type of vehicle. Look at where they live. One guy who admins a shady Nissan parts group claimed to live in Phoenix AZ. I offered to come pick up the parts in person, and he blocked me. Problem solved! Also, check out their friends list – More often than not, these scammer pages will have a friends list that looks like roll call at a Cameroonian grade school. Pretty sure they’re not hoarding rare car parts. As much as you WANT that to be the case, it’s usually not. I’ve joined several of these groups with a pseudonym JUST for the purpose of making sure THEIR members are not also members on the legitimate pages.
“But Greg, this sounds like a lot of work!” Stop whining, and let me ask you, how many hours did you work to make the money you’re about to haphazardly send to a stranger? Don’t be mad at me, because honestly, the temptation to just let the scammers take over is VERY strong some days. Stupidity is supposed to hurt, and at least once a week I see a tale of woe from some poor scam victim who got taken by a very obvious and very stupid scammer. You’ve got to be smarter than the average bear (you 70’s kids will know where that’s from).
Bonus content: This is for those of you who moderate or administrate Facebook groups. A lot of these same tips apply to people looking to join your niche group. First off, your group should have a set of questions that a person needs to answer to gain access. These should require an actual typed-in response, not just a ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Questions should be relevant to the subject of the group, and not a question that’s easily answered by AI. Once they’ve jumped through the hoops, you get to make the final call on their access. Review their answers, but also look at their profile. Just this week, a person wanted to join a classic Datsun Z group that I administer, and claimed to own a Series One 1970 Z. A quick look at the profile was all I needed. The person allegedly graduated high school 18 months ago, works at a grocery store, and has no pictures of his alleged rare Z in his profile (but belongs to 10-12 other unrelated car groups). Pretty easy to click the NOPE button.
Until Zuckerberg and Co. decide that protecting their core users is a priority, it’s up to people like us to make our groups inaccessible for scammers and inhospitable for those who support them.