Facebook Marketplace Scam Uses Your Name and Number
Facebook Marketplace Scam Alert 🚨
Facebook users are reporting receiving messages with fake Facebook Marketplace listings that feature their name as the seller. Here’s how it works: you receive a message (often via iMessage) asking, “Is this still available for purchase?” Attached to the message is a fabricated Facebook Marketplace listing. When you tap on the picture, you might notice that the seller’s name matches yours. This tactic, known as a conversation lure, adds a sense of legitimacy to the message and gives you an additional reason to respond.
Interestingly, in one example we received, even though the seller’s name matched the recipient’s name, the profile picture did not. Such messages are likely to provoke a natural corrective response: “That isn’t me.” This can lead many to believe they are being impersonated by a scammer on Marketplace.
This method may seem labor-intensive with a low chance of success, but with the help of AI and a list of matching names and phone numbers from data breaches, it can be executed relatively easily at scale. The combination of name and phone number could come from various data breaches. On the dark web, cybercriminals buy and sell personal data for such purposes. According to reports, “For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, a cybercriminal can buy enough information to devastate someone’s financial life.” The personalized screenshot serves as a powerful reply trigger, combining curiosity, reputational concern, and the recipient’s impulse to correct an apparent mistake.
However, replying to a phishing text signals to the scammer that your number is active. This increases its value for the scammer, who can then resell it or use it for other cybercrimes, such as downloading malware, committing fraud, or taking over your Facebook account.
While the exact motive behind these messages can be hard to determine without engaging, here are a few precautions you can take:
- Limit what you share publicly on social media.
- Do not respond to unsolicited messages from unknown senders.
- If you recognize the sender but doubt the message, verify it through a different channel.
- Avoid clicking links, calling numbers provided in the conversation, scanning QR codes, or sharing security codes.
- Independently check your Facebook Marketplace activity, recent logins, messages, email addresses, phone numbers, and recovery settings.
- If you suspect compromise, visit facebook.com/hacked.
- Preserve the URL of any impersonating profiles and report them, as Facebook prohibits impersonation.
Stay safe and vigilant! 🛡️