Why do buyers ask for my phone number or email?

Scammers want to move you off-platform so Facebook can't protect you. Keep every negotiation in the Marketplace chat until the exchange.

What's the "I'll send you a code" scam?

A buyer claims to have paid and asks you to verify by reading them back a code. That code is a Google Voice (or similar) verification — they're hijacking your identity/phone, not paying you.

Should I accept a cashier's check or Zelle?

Both can be faked or reversed. Cash in person is best; a zappable transfer you can see land in your account before handing over the item.

How to Sell on Facebook Marketplace Without Getting Scammed

The meetup, the "pay here" trick, the fake payment email, and the shipping trap — a practical safety checklist for local selling.

Facebook Marketplace is where the retail price lives for bulky, local items — and where the scams concentrate. Here’s your safety net.

Rule 1 — Stay on the platform until the exchange

Every legitimate buyer can message you in Marketplace. Anyone pushing you to WhatsApp, Telegram, or email is routing around Facebook’s protection for a reason.

Rule 2 — Cash in person, at a public place

Meet at a busy cafe or a police-station “safe exchange” zone. Daylight, cameras, bystanders. Verify the money is in your hand (and, if it’s a large amount, use a counterfeit pen) before the item changes hands.

Rule 3 — The payment “code” trap

If someone says a transfer is “pending” and asks for a code they texted you, it’s almost always a Google Voice verification being redirected to your number. Never read codes back. Genuine payments don’t need it.

Rule 4 — Shipping? Insure the “seller” flag

For shipped local items, ship only through Facebook’s own checkout with tracking, never your own PayPal “friends & family,” which has zero seller protection.

When someone is probably scamming you

Prices too good to be true, random “I’ll buy it now”
Overpayment and asking you to send the difference back
Any request to pay an outside “fee” or “courier” separately
Low-effort one-line profiles with a stock photo

Bottom line: cash, in person, in public, in the app. The sellers who lose money are the ones who leave these four.