Warning to Facebook users over vicious trick that’s already lost people hundreds

BRITS have been warned of a new scam on Facebook where victims are being fooled out of hundreds of pounds worth of goods.

A Facebook fraudster used a fake banking app to trick victims into believing they had paid for pricey electrical devices they were selling on Marketplace.

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One victim, who asked to remain anonymous, had listed his laptop on Facebook Marketplace and believed he had found a legitimate buyer.

“I had communication with this profile which was this girl. It’s a profile they’d set up and they posted a message to me saying ‘my partner is on the way’,” the victim told the St Helens Star, a local publication based in Merseyside, UK.

“This boy came at around 8.50pm and went to pay with a mobile banking app which at the time I thought was completely legitimate.

“I had no idea this fake banking app existed.

“He showed me the transaction. I later found out no money had been transferred and he had blocked me on Facebook.”

The scam meant he lost out on £450, he said.

Another woman was also reportedly conned out of £800 for a phone on the same night.

The case is currently being investigated by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) at the City of London Police, according to Pauline Smith, the head of Action Fraud.

How do I make sure this doesn’t happen to me?

Facebook Marketplace can be a great place to make some extra cash from the stuff you don’t want or need anymore – and even snag some bargains.

But unfortunately, scammers are lurking everywhere.

And Facebook Marketplace fraudsters have several techniques to trick you into giving away money or goods.

So, be sure to follow these five tips from cyber security firm NordVPN to help protect yourself:

• Always use official payment methods. Use the Facebook Checkout service or PayPal – but don’t let buyers pay via PayPal Family and Friends. If you can, pay with a credit card. That way it’s easier to be refunded for fraudulent payments.
• Receive payment first. Don’t send anything before receiving money for shipping and the item.
• Pay attention to seller ratings. The star rating is there for a reason. If a seller has a low rating, it usually means not to trust them.
• Don’t accept overpayment. No matter how nice the buyer seems or how genuine the excuse they provide is, never fall for this trick.
• Be wary of phishing scams. Some cyber criminals will redirect a link to a credential-stealing site or instruct you to download malware. Don’t click on anything suspicious.

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