Red flags to watch out for while buying on Facebook

Buying gently used items online can often result in getting a great deal. In Central Florida, more and more people are using Facebook to buy and sell anything you can think of. But there are some red flags you'll want to look out for to make sure you stay safe when meeting a stranger.

In any given group, administrators will be listed. 

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You can send them a private message to check and see if there is anyone you should be on the look out for or if there is anything you should know about. If you experience a bad transaction, you can let them know. Often, they'll warn other people in the group.

There are often group rules either posted on the of the page's wall, or you may see them in the 'About' section on the right.

Once you're in the group and ready to begin buying or selling, administrators said one of the biggest things to look out for are fake profiles. They said people who have fake profiles often (but not always) use cartoons or celebrity photos in place of regular profile pictures. Here's one we found:

Then, you'll usually notice their profile was just recently created. Often, they'll have little to no information posted, and very few friends, if any.

These are just a few quick guidelines and things to look for. It doesn't necessarily mean the person behind profiles like these have bad intentions, but you may want to do some extra checking before you agree to meet.


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