While buying, selling, and trading on Facebook Marketplace is a great way to find needed items or part with items you no longer want, it can present with risks. Monmouth Police Department Investigator Josh Kramer encourages individuals to do their research and meet at a local police department or other public location:
“Meeting up with somebody at not a safe location, they ultimately take your money and run, that happens a lot. The other thing that happens is they like to pay with counterfeit money. Anywhere that you set these up, if you meet at the police department, easily make that transaction and it is in a public place, it’s lighted, that is really a big thing to think about when you are doing these transactions; where you are going, are you familiar with the area. I wouldn’t meet in a dark spot of town, always meet in a public place. Like we always talk about, if it seems too good to be true, it is probably too good to be true. Research the item that they have listed. If it is a crazy low price, ask the seller questions, do research on the seller, and check their profile.”
When making transactions through Facebook Marketplace, Investigator Kramer stresses the importance of inspecting the money they are paying with to make sure it is not counterfeit and not to meet at your personal residence.
