Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a recent experience I had on FB Marketplace to warn others and seek any advice if you’ve faced something similar.

I posted a sales ad on FB Marketplace and almost immediately, I received a message from someone named James Farwell. He asked me to text his wife, Pamela, for payment and pick-up details. When I texted the number given, they asked me to send a verification code for “their protection.” Red flags went up, and I refused.

I took screenshots of both the FB message and the text conversation, then blocked both the FB accounts and the phone number. But then, something more alarming happened.

I received a notification from my bank about a pending transaction of $1.00. This was for an online purchase from a company I’ve never interacted with or heard of. Immediately, I reported this suspicious transaction to my bank, but they said they couldn’t do anything until the transaction was completed. So, I put a hold on my bank cards and reported my card information as stolen.

Has anyone else experienced something similar? How did you handle it? It’s unsettling how quickly and seemingly easily scammers can attempt to access your financial information.

Stay vigilant and always be cautious of such requests on online marketplaces!

Alice