Facebook Marketplace scammers are giving out random addresses to convince unsuspecting victims to hand over money for items that simply don’t exist.
The fraudsters create numerous listings for furniture or HD televisions then encourage buyers to pay a deposit via bank transfer to secure the item.
To make the sale appear legitimate they provide a real residential address and assure customers they can pay the remaining amount in cash upon pick up.
One fed-up resident in Perth was forced to erect a sign outside their home after scammers used their Salter Point address to swindle dozens of victims.
“We are not selling any items on Facebook Marketplace – You have been scammed,” the sign reads.
“We have had over 20+ people (that we are aware of) come to our house trying to buy TVs and couches.
“We don’t know why they’re using our address, and it’s very concerning.
“We have reported it to the police and Cyber Crime and you should.”
The homeowner then instructs people to report the ad and the associated profile to Facebook.
A reader who wrote to 9news.com.au said they were given the address when they attempted to purchase a 75-inch 4K Samsung TV.
They were asked to pay a $100 deposit for the television and were provided with a BSB and account number to transfer the funds.
Instead of handing over the cash they decided to look up the details and managed to trace the account to an ANZ branch in Melbourne.
They shared screenshots of the conversation with 9news.com.au to ward off other potential victims.
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According to Scamwatch Australians lost $80.2 million to social media scams last year, up 43 per cent compared to last year.
Scammers can set up fake profiles and can offer items for sale at a significantly lower price.
Scamwatch advises to always research the profile behind the listing to see how long the account has been active and how much activity they’ve had online.
“Never send money to a person you have only met online,” the watchdog says.
