- Online Scams
- Facebook Marketplace
- Consumer Protection
Joyce, a mum of two, shares her story of being scammed while buying a game console online and the lessons she learned.
A Mum’s Story: How I Was Scammed on Facebook Marketplace
Hi, I’m Joyce. I’m a physiotherapist and a mum of two young kids. I always thought I was too smart to get scammed. I knew scams were out there, but I never imagined it would happen to me.
I’m the kind of person who trusts others to do the right thing. When I buy things online or over the phone, I assume people are honest. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that’s not always the case.
What Happened
One day, I was searching on Facebook Marketplace for a games console for my kids. I found one at a good price and reached out to the seller. He seemed friendly and helpful. He said he’d be happy to deliver the console to my home if I paid the full amount upfront via PayID. I wasn’t comfortable paying everything upfront, so I offered to pay 20% as a deposit.
Once I made the transaction, he sent me a photo of himself at a petrol station, saying he’d filled up and was on the way. He even kept updating me to build my trust. But then he said he had arrived at my house. I was waiting outside with the lights on, but he wasn’t there. I told him, “You’re not here, what’s going on?”
For five minutes, he insisted he was waiting outside. Then he said he’d left. After that, he stopped answering my calls. That’s when I realised—I’d been scammed.
How It Made Me Feel
I felt completely manipulated. I had been so grateful that he was willing to deliver, and I was being polite and thankful. But he just took advantage of my kindness and trust. It felt like my privacy had been invaded because now a stranger knew my phone number and address.
Afterwards, I felt scared that if I tried to push for my money back, he might come to my house and threaten me. It was such a violation of my trust and my sense of safety in my own home.
What I Learned
Since the scam happened, I’ve changed how I shop online:
- I don’t buy from sellers unless they have at least four or five stars in their profile.
- I never pay upfront. I wait until I have the product in my hands and have inspected it before I hand over any money.
- I’m more cautious about sharing my personal information online. Even small details like your address can be misused.
Sharing My Story to Help Others
I think it’s so important to share stories like this because scams happen all the time. If people are aware, they can make wiser decisions and avoid the mistakes I made.
Remember: never pay for something upfront unless you know and trust the seller. And if something feels wrong, it probably is. Trust your gut and protect yourself and your family.