What is the scam ?

First time I'm listing an item.
Within an Hr. I have received messages from a very eager buyer.
Wanted me to continue off the F/B site and use cellphone texting.
He asked me to repeat a generated six digit number texted to my number to verify I'm a real person , not a robot.
After no response he asked me to maybe use a friend or families number to respond.
I deleted all contact.
Hr. later I get about the same response from a Lady somewhere else.
Both times the buyers were first name only and no profile to preview.

What are they really looking for ?
Or hoping to do?

Hoping to get bank info.

They'll eventually ask you to supply your banking info to deposit the check. Bingo they take all your money.

OR he is trying to set up an account in your name with your phone , you give him the 2 factor authentication to prove he is you and now he has an account with your info made.


first rule of any type of purchasing like this , only conduct business in person in a neutral location like meet them at the Walmart parking lot or in front of the police station and not a terrible idea for you to bring backup

no texting , talk on the phone

so if you can't shoot the person in the face while doing business then they aren't risking enough , and it is probably a scam.

and cash only

Just dump communication with him

OK I see what you are saying GREENCOUNTYPETE.
Probably is what's happening.
Never thought about it that way.

I would guess if you will not talk to anyone, you will have a hard time selling anything. I think you lost protentional buyers. I don't see where the OP gave them anything other than a phone number. What can they do with just a Ph #? Text or call?

I have used market place. Had good luck a few years ago and now there is a lot of disrespectful individuals on there. I will not use it anymore.

Can you explain how a scammer can do this with just your name and phone number?

I have a phone book with a couple hundred thousand names, numbers, and home address.

Can you explain how a scammer can do this with just your name and phone number?

Curious also.
What can they possibly do ?

Just got a third message going the same direction.
That's 3 people in less than 3 hrs. same set-up . wanting to do all communications with text and blank on their F/B profiles.

MY bad just got another lady same story and new F/B profile no info.
That's 4 now.

I'm going to cancel the add , until I can figure out how to control that from happening.
They are obviously not buyers , but are fishing for info.[i][/i]

Tell them cash in person only.

I recently listed a new but slightly damaged rear bumper assembly on Marketplace. The first three or four contacts were scammers from Jersey wanting to know my address or other info I'm never going to give out. Their Facebook profiles were sketchy too. I deleted the messages and blocked them. In a day or two a guy with a legitimate profile who could actually write understandable English contacted me. Ewe met at an agreed upon location and made the deal.

That's the only way I'll do it.

I know they are fishing, wondering what they can gain,
I did make changes to the listing cash only pick-up or meet only.
See how that goes.

ive had a number of "eager buyers" but nothing like that, just gotta be careful and also meet only in public places. for me its because of my girls, NEVER at our residence.

Glad I live in Wyoming, I have used it never had a problem just answer a pm have them come to the house and pick it up.

Those ones are scams.

sure

i searched how to set up a new facebook account here are the results

To create a Facebook account:
Go to facebook.com/reg.
Enter the name you go by in everyday life.
Enter your email or mobile phone number.
Select your gender and date of birth, and choose a password.
Tap Sign Up.
To finish creating your account, you need to confirm your email or mobile phone number.

ok so if you give him the code , scammer dude now has a fake Facebook account that looks just like you , he probably can even see your friends becuase your account wasn't marked private, so he friends a few of them , he used a screen shot of your picture to look just like you , why wouldn't yoru friends freind you.

now he/she can send them messages , set up a fake donations page because they likely know your birth day donate to Ukrane fund xyz , or sell stuff as you on marketplace , or the multi billion dollar industry of sending a link in a message to your friends who have friended them hacking their Facebook and planting back door software or ransomware on their PCs that then if they opened at work , costs either the ransom or rebuild. may give them access to your friends or even your pc for banking info.

so safety rule number one to online transactions , get them off line after first contact.

you are far far better at hearing an issue than you are seeing one typed

cash is king

make sure you can shoot they buyer seller in the face should you need to because if they know you can then they won't try the funny stuff.

there is safety in being an anonymous persons states or a country away

you have to be real inside pistol range.

sounds harsh but it is just a realistic way to think about this social contract we have with each other.
people prey on each other every day but they usually do their best to avoid direct risk of getting caught, captured , injured or killed for their evil deeds.

people with nothing to hide will meet you under a camera in a public location like in front of the police station.

how about this

direct from the discover card application page

By clicking "Continue," you authorize your wireless carrier to disclose your mobile number to our third party service providers to verify your identity and prevent fraud.

I have bought things entirely by facebook message , woman helping her elderly father to sell stuff old tools.

I figured it out , I was in no rush more than a week from my first contact till I was in the area , it was semi local in Beloit , not particularity expensive tools or too good to be true

she did face book message me as if she was there when she wasn't she was on the phone with him telling him when I was at the door

I didn't go alone or unarmed , I did go mid day on a Saturday and no I wouldn't send my daughters into such a situation not even sure I would send my son on such an errand.
so yes I did take it offline for the actual transaction.