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Facebook Marketplace is one of the most popular online collections of classifieds in the world. You can buy anything from household appliances to airplanes, apartments to sports cars. A smaller purchase then, like a vacuum cleaner, seems innocent enough. Unfortunately, even an innocuous deal can end in disaster. A Honda Pilot owner learned it the hard way when a scammer took just about everything he had. 

A Facebook Marketplace scammer cheated a would-be buyer out of his keys, cash, backpack, and even his Honda Pilot

Sure, you can find damn near anything you’d like on Facebook Marketplace. Better yet, you can find whatever your intended pre-owned treasure for much less than its original price. However, despite being less sketchy than the Craigslist dealings of years past, Facebook Marketplace scammers can swindle innocent buyers out of their hard-earned possessions and cash.

Jesse Jeanetta didn’t want to pay top dollar for a Dyson vacuum cleaner. “I was looking for Dysons and I found one that I was like, okay, that’s a good deal,” Jeanetta said of the $350 appliance he found online. Little did he know that the Facebook Marketplace find was the work of a scammer.

He grabbed his cash and drove his second-generation Honda Pilot to meet the seller in Minneapolis. Jeanetta met the seller next to a bowling alley before following him to apartments nearby. Unfortunately for Jeanetta, that’s when the Facebook Marketplace scammer struck.

The faux seller handed Jeanetta a bin. As he took the bin, the scammer jumped into the Honda Pilot and floored it, leaving Jeanetta behind. Unfortunately, Jeanetta had left his cash, backpack, and pieces of furniture in the waiting SUV. Worse yet, there was no Dyson vacuum cleaner in the bin. “It feels like it happened so fast and so slow because I could have easily jumped in the car before him,” Jeanetta said of the shocking crime. 

So, how can you protect yourself from scammers? For starters, set boundaries. Select a safe, public location for transactions. Better yet, some police departments host transaction zones specifically to combat Facebook Marketplace scammers and malicious parties. Never go to a second, undiscussed location with a buyer or seller. Finally, be prepared to walk away from a deal. If it doesn’t feel right, chances are that it isn’t right.

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Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and Humvees. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with expertise covering everything from sports cars and electric motorcycles to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He also studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC). When he’s not working, you can find Erik on his motorcycle or out for a spirited drive.