08/25/2026
⚠️ ATTENTION ALL ONLINE SELLERS: PLEASE READ & SHARE ⚠️
I am posting this to warn local sellers about the massive wave of fake "buyers" currently targeting online marketplaces (Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, etc.).
If you are selling anything, be on high alert.Scammers are posing as eager buyers, quickly asking for your phone number or email to send digital payments.
Here is exactly how they try to rob you across different apps:
🔴 THE ZELLE "BUSINESS ACCOUNT" SCAMHow it works: The buyer asks for your email/phone number. They say they paid you, but then you get a fake email pretending to be from Zelle. The email claims your account is a "personal account" and you must pay $300+ to "upgrade to a business account" to unlock the funds.The Truth: Zelle is 100% free. There is NO SUCH THING as a business account upgrade fee. Zelle will never hold your funds.
🔴 THE PAYPAL & VENMO "PRAYING ON FEES" SCAMHow it works: They ask for your email and send a fake confirmation email that looks like PayPal or Venmo. It says the money is "on hold" until you provide a shipping tracking number or pay a "refundable verification fee."The Truth: Real payments show up instantly in your official app balance. If it’s not in your actual app, you didn't get paid. Never ship an item based on an email notification alone.
🔴 THE "FRIENDS & FAMILY" DISPUTE TRICKHow it works: A buyer insists on using PayPal "Friends & Family" or Venmo to pay you.The Truth: Doing this strips away all seller protections. Later, they will report the transaction to their bank as unauthorized or use a stolen credit card. The app will claw the money back out of your account, and you will lose both your money and your item.
🚫 TO THE FAKE BUYERS MESSAGING ME RIGHT NOW: 🚫
Save your breath and stop wasting my time. I am fully aware of the fake email tricks, the business account upgrade scams, and the generated screenshots.
I will NOT give you my phone number or email address.
I do NOT ship when I accept Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal from strangers unless the money visibly clears inside my official banking app first.
If you send me a fake screenshot or a spoofed email, you will be blocked and reported to Facebook Fraud Operations immediately.
To my real friends and local sellers: Stay safe out there! Only deal through the marketplace app, use cash in a safe public meeting place, and never trust a screenshot.
