20 April 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Wichita police are urging caution when buying and selling through Facebook Marketplace.
The department says they have seen several recent incidents where people have been taken advantage of through Facebook Marketplace. They offer the following tips in order to avoid getting scammed or worse:
1. Meet in a public, well-lit place. Some great meeting places include convenience stores like QuikTrip or a police substation. These places are ideal because there are usually lots of people (and police officers) around and security cameras in case something does happen.
2. Take a friend with you when you’re meeting someone to pick up or drop off items. Criminals may be less apt to try to take advantage of you if there are multiple people there.
3. Tell other friends and family members when and where you’re meeting to exchange goods. That way someone knows where you are and when you’re expected to be back.
4. Don’t bring large amounts of cash to a transaction, as this could become a target for thieves.
5. Use a payment app such as Venmo, Paypal, or Cashapp instead of cash – if you can. Many of these apps have built-in consumer protections, so you can at least have a chance of getting your money back if you become victimized.
6. Verify the identity of the person you’re dealing with. It’s very easy to create a fake profile online, so be wary of people who have no individual pictures on their profile or who have very new profiles with limited activity.
7. Go with your gut! If something feels off, it probably is. You can always decide not to meet up if you feel like the situation is not quite right.
If you are the victim of a theft or scam, police say to make sure you have a good description of the suspects and any other helpful evidence like photographs and to call 911 to report it immediately.