I feel so fucking stupid, scammed on Facebook

[LeakyTapTap]

Tried to buy as washer as I desperately need one and money is currently tight (NOT A BEGGING POST!)

Paid half yesterday with the remainder to be paid on delivery today. Well the seller has blocked me and I'm fully not expecting the washer to be delivered because she doesn't have my address or anything.

It was only £30 (only! That's three hours wages!) so I'm not too badly out of pocket but fuck me I feel so utterly stupid. I've bought and sold on there loads of times without an issue too.

I've frozen my card (paid via PayPal though friends and family, not goods!) and opened a dispute but I'm not holding out much hope.

Oh dear, that sounds awful. But, lesson learned. Never pay before you get the item.

I normally wouldn't but I wanted it delivered and well, off she went with my cash 😭

Good you paid via Paypal at least. I hope you can get the money back somehow OP. People disgust me they really do

@ZZanatdy paypal won't do anything if you use the friends and family option instead of goods and services

I don’t really know the procedure but aren’t you covered with PayPal?
Surely the scammer has to be a member so can you inform PayPal and ask them to block payment.
Then leave negative feedback highlighting that this is a scammer.

Scumbag going for desperate folk.

Never pay by friends and family if you don't know them. If they ask then avoid. Hope you get your money back, it seems scammers have just flooded all the selling platforms. Just not worth it anymore.

Some people are so horrible.
See it as a learning curve, never pay for goods upfront off places like Facebook and never use friends and family unless you genuinely know them. Can you report them to Facebook as well?

Not covered with PayPal as I used friends and family.

I fucking know better too. I'm usually the one going "SCAM!" to my family so I have no idea where my brain was. Just in a tizzy over the washer breaking and trying to get a new one quick I guess 😭

The bloody rotten cold I've got isn't helping either!

Sorry they scammed you. Did you check the profile was really a local person? If so do you think they offered delivery and then couldn't do it.....so blocked you rather than explain? If so maybe you can get a friend to find their profile and message them....maybe guilt them into returning your cash.

I had something similar happen to me and I paid by friends and families, but explained the situation to Pay Pal and sent screen shots and they actually refunded the money. So worth a try. Sorry it’s a horrible feeling to get scammed :(

Still report it to action fraud or police. You will not be the only one who fell for this. Even if you don't get your money back at least make it difficult for them. Even though they have blocked you can a friend find them so the FB link can be obtained?

My H looked at a used car on FB. As,soon as the owner asked for friends and family payment he realised it could be 2K down the drain. I would never use it.

Reported her to Action Fraud, thanks 😊

Do you have a screen shot of their FB account, or can a friend find them. name and shame on your local town page, warning others.

The account is no longer active apparently!

Update - I opened a dispute with my bank and the money was back in my account this morning! 😁

Great update. We'll done

I was going to say, you weren’t scammed out of £30. What you did was pay a small amount of money for a practical lesson in the risks of buying online and what not to do, which could potentially save you a lot more cash in the future.

However, I see you got the money back, so you’ve actually had a free lesson! Which makes you the winner in all of this.

Report her to Trading standards. I did this a few years ago and the woman was a known fraudster who they had been trying to prosecute for years. Apparently they kept getting calls about her. She ended up in court with a tag, fine and a suspended sentence. I never got my money back but I guess it was better than nothing.

Yay i am so happy for you OP!!!!!

Fantastic ❤

Glad you got your money back - that's a great result. Just a tip - when I purchase something using PayPal as a payment method, I always pay as if it's for goods (rather than Friends or Family). I always add the amount the seller will have to pay in fees so that they can't argue about that and that way I'm covered if the deal goes sour.
Yes, it costs a bit more, but, it's much better to be covered in case of something going wrong. More chance of getting your money back.

Pleased to hear that you have the money back but only ever pay cash on Facebook market place once you have the item you are buying.