– Facebook Marketplace is free and easy to use. This platform enables users of the popular service to buy and sell items seamlessly – says junior aspirant Łukasz Porębski from the Provincial Police Headquarters in Wrocław.

The result? Spokesperson: – The platform's reach is constantly growing and attracting many scammers who unscrupulously prey on gullible users.

Therefore, if we use this type of platform, we must remember the basic safety rules. Police officers:

Before making any decision and spending money, it is worth thinking it through carefully. This applies to both buyers and sellers.

Unfortunately, a resident of Lubań County fell victim to this type of fraud. While carrying out a transaction via Facebook Marketplace, she received a link from the courier company “INPOST.IK3wqn.skin” to confirm and log in to her bank account.

As the victim herself noted, the design of the website to which she was redirected closely resembled that of a real bank. Senior aspirant Łukasz Porębski: “The files show that the victim made as many as four transactions, transferring a total of over PLN 11,000 to the bank account indicated in the link. Investigators are now clarifying all the circumstances of the incident and taking steps to identify the perpetrator of the fraud.”

How can you avoid being scammed?

  • SUSPICIOUSLY LOW PRICE – nothing online is free, or even available for a fraction of the price! If products are in perfect condition yet cost very little, it may be an attempted fraud.
  • PRESSURE AND TIME PRESSURE – pressure to transfer money as quickly as possible should make us more alert.
  • SOMEONE ELSE’S PHOTOS – scammers often use other people’s photos. It is worth checking whether the seller has their own photo of the product by asking for several others or an additional shot.
  • LOW-QUALITY PHOTO – low-quality photos effectively “hide” details. Before deciding to buy, it is worth asking for good-quality photos.
  • PAYMENT METHOD – BLIK payments are currently the safest for scammers because it is difficult to determine who collected the money.