Facebook Marketplace Car Scams: How to Spot Every Red Flag

For a complete guide to buying cars safely on Facebook, see our Facebook Marketplace Car Buying Guide 2025.

How Common Are Car Scams on Facebook Marketplace?

Approximately 12-15% of suspiciously priced car listings on Facebook Marketplace are scams. While this is lower than Craigslist's 20-25% scam rate, it still represents significant risk. The average victim loses $4,200, with recovery rates below 5%.

The good news: scams follow predictable patterns. Once you know what to look for, they become easy to spot and avoid. This guide covers every major scam type and exactly how to protect yourself.

The 5 Most Common Facebook Marketplace Car Scams

1. Advance Payment Scam (38% of scams)

How it works: Scammer lists an attractive car at a great price. When you inquire, they ask for a deposit to “hold” the vehicle before you can see it. Once you send money, they disappear.

Common excuses scammers use:

• “I'm out of town but can ship it to you”
• “Lots of interest, need deposit to hold”
• “The car is in storage, need fee to retrieve it”
• “I'm in the military and deployed”

2. Fake Escrow Scam (22% of scams)

How it works: Scammer directs you to use an “escrow service” for payment protection. The escrow site is fake - once you send money, it goes directly to the scammer.

Red flags:

• Escrow service you've never heard of
• Link sent via email or message (not found independently)
• Website looks unprofessional or was recently created
• Unusual payment methods (wire transfer, crypto, gift cards)

3. Title Fraud / Title Washing (18% of scams)

How it works: Seller has a vehicle with a salvage or rebuilt title. They “wash” the title by transferring through states with lax reporting, making it appear clean. You buy what looks like a good car with a clean title, but it's actually a salvage vehicle worth far less.

Protection: Always run a full VIN history check. Look for patterns: multiple state transfers in short time, title issued from states known for lax reporting (particularly MS, NM, OK in the past).

4. VIN Cloning (12% of scams)

How it works: A stolen vehicle has its VIN replaced with a VIN from a legitimate, similar vehicle. The VIN check comes back clean because it's checking the wrong car's history. You buy the car, then discover it's stolen when you try to register it.

Protection: Check the VIN in multiple locations - door jamb, dashboard, engine block. They should all match. Look for signs of VIN plate tampering. If anything seems off, walk away.

5. Curbstoning (10% of scams)

How it works: An unlicensed dealer poses as a private seller to avoid dealer regulations and hide known problems with vehicles. They often flip problem cars bought at auction without disclosing issues.

Red flags:

• Multiple vehicle listings from same account
• Vague about how long they've owned the car
• No personal information on profile
• Car still has dealer paperwork or auction tags

Red Flags: How to Spot a Scam Listing

Price Red Flags

• Price 30%+ below market value with no clear reason
• “Must sell immediately” urgency without logical explanation
• Price seems designed to attract attention rather than sell

Seller Profile Red Flags

• Account less than 6 months old
• No profile photo or generic stock image
• No friends, no posts, no activity
• Profile location doesn't match car location

Communication Red Flags

• Won't talk on phone (text/message only)
• Poor English despite claiming to be local
• Generic responses that don't answer your questions
• Moves conversation off Facebook quickly
• Creates urgency: “Other buyers interested”

Meeting Red Flags

• Won't meet in person (“I'm out of town”)
• Wants to meet at unusual locations or times
• Won't allow pre-purchase inspection
• Title not in their name or name doesn't match profile

How to Verify a Seller Is Legitimate

Step 1: Profile Analysis

Click through to their full Facebook profile. Look for:

• Account age (2+ years preferred)
• Personal photos and posts over time
• Friends who engage (comments, tags)
• Consistent location information
• Past marketplace reviews

Step 2: Communication Test

Ask specific questions about the car. A real owner will know:

• Why they're selling
• Service history and recent repairs
• How long they've owned it
• Specific details about the vehicle

Scammers give vague, generic answers. They often copy/paste from the listing or avoid specifics.

Step 3: VIN Verification

Before meeting, get the VIN and run a check. Verify:

• No accident history (or disclosed accurately)
• No title issues (salvage, rebuilt, lemon)
• Odometer history is consistent
• Number of owners matches seller's story

What to Do If You've Been Scammed

Immediate Steps

1. Document everything: Screenshots of listing, messages, payment records
2. Report to Facebook: Report the listing and profile
3. Contact your bank: If paid by card, initiate chargeback immediately
4. File police report: Essential for any potential recovery

Official Reports

• FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
• FBI IC3: ic3.gov (for internet crimes)
• State Attorney General: Consumer protection division
• Better Business Bureau: bbb.org/scamtracker