Selling items on Facebook Marketplace can be a convenient way⁣ to declutter and ⁣earn some extra cash. Though, it’s ⁢crucial to be⁤ aware of the potential scams lurking within these platforms.Hella Bertrand‌ learned this the hard way when​ a seemingly straightforward sale turned into a financial nightmare.

In October, Bertrand listed a ⁤coat for $100. She quickly received an offer from a buyer named “Addison.” Addison claimed to be out of town and offered to send an e-transfer, planning⁣ to pick up the coat later. Bertrand accepted, but this was the beginning of her ordeal.

According to Bertrand, ‌ Initially [the transfer] didn’t go through, even though I ⁣gave him ⁢my email address. He said, ‘Well,‌ I’m having too much trouble. It ‍must be the wrong account.’ That should have been‌ a red flag.

Frustrated, Bertrand abandoned the sale. The following morning, she discovered⁤ unauthorized withdrawals totaling $700 from⁤ her bank account. An⁢ attempt to withdraw an additional $2,200 was also made, but failed due to insufficient ⁣funds.

Further investigation​ revealed that the “Addison’s” messages in their Facebook Messenger conversation had been deleted, leaving only Bertrand’s messages visible.

I was absolutely shocked, Bertrand stated, describing her reaction ⁤to​ the finding.

Checking her bank account online, she found that the⁣ email address associated with her ​husband’s name had been changed ⁣by​ the hacker.

That’s ⁢the most frightening part — that [the hacker] was able to get in there, Bertrand emphasized.

She immediately took⁤ action,⁣ deleting the⁣ fraudulent email address, changing her account passwords, ​and contacting her bank.

Marketplace Scams: The “Hot Fraud”

The Ottawa⁢ Police Service (OPS) has identified Facebook Marketplace scams as the “hot fraud right now.”

Det.‍ Shaun Wahbeh of the OPS reports that they receive multiple scam reports daily from both buyers and sellers. He notes that the “reverse e-transfer” fraud is a prevalent‌ and evolving tactic.

It looks and smells exactly like an e-transfer, but it isn’t.
– Det.Shaun Wahbeh, Ottawa Police Service

Wahbeh explains, “It’s a request that gives the⁣ suspect access to your bank account.”

Understanding the Reverse E-transfer ‍Scam

Darion Ducharme, who conducts technology training‍ workshops on detecting online fraud, emphasizes that the thing‌ is, [a scam] could happen to any one. he admits to having been a victim himself.

Ducharme explains that these ‌reverse e-transfer links appear legitimate, closely resembling bank websites.‍ However, entering your username and password grants scammers access to your bank account.

Now they go into our accounts, can reset ⁣your password, clear out your bank accounts and steal your information as well, Ducharme warns.

Both Ducharme and Wahbeh caution that scammers may use ​stolen information to access⁣ other accounts and ‌commit further ⁤identity theft.

So it’s like a never-ending ⁢cycle that could really hurt you in many ways, Ducharme concludes.

Reporting Fraud: A Crucial ⁣Step

Wahbeh urges fraud victims to report incidents to both the police and their‌ banks.

We’re only as good as what you ⁤give us and what your bank gives us, so if we don’t⁣ get the intelligence from⁢ the bank, we will ⁤never be⁣ able to trace your money, he states.

He also notes that‌ many of these fraudsters operate from overseas, ​making them tough to track down.

There’s so much in ‌favour of the bad guys right now with technology ⁢that it’s hard for police to be⁢ on top of this, Wahbeh admits.

A Happy Ending, and a Valuable ​Lesson

Bertrand’s‌ story has a positive resolution. After reporting the fraud to her bank, the money was returned ⁣to her account.

While she had previously used Marketplace without incident, she is now wary of the platform. She‍ shared her ​experience in her neighborhood’s Facebook group, receiving support and⁣ advice from other members.

You know, once bitten, twice shy, Bertrand said. But it was a‌ good lesson.