eBay & Amazon Fraud: How to Spot Marketplace Scams and Shop Safely

"Brand new iPhone 16 Pro Max, only $450. Serious buyers only, must pay via Zelle."

If you've browsed Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Amazon lately, you've probably seen listings too good to be true — because they are. Online marketplace fraud is one of the fastest-growing categories of cybercrime, with the FTC reporting $2.7 billion in losses from online shopping scams in 2025.

The Most Common Marketplace Scams

1. Off-Platform Payment Redirect

The seller asks you to pay outside the marketplace — via Zelle, Cash App, wire transfer, or gift cards — bypassing buyer protection.

Step	Tactic
1	Lists item at attractive price
2	"Let's take this off eBay to save on fees"
3	Requests payment via Zelle/wire
4	You pay with no buyer protection
5	Item never arrives, seller vanishes

2. Counterfeit Products

Authentic-looking listings for luxury brands or electronics that turn out to be cheap counterfeits. Professional photos stolen from real listings.

3. Non-Delivery Scam

The seller provides a fake tracking number that shows "delivered" to a different address in your zip code, then denies your claim.

4. Account Takeover Listings

Scammers hijack legitimate seller accounts with good feedback history, then post fraudulent listings using the trusted account's reputation.

5. Fake Reviews

Manufactured 5-star reviews and purchased ratings that make low-quality or dangerous products appear trustworthy.

6. Refund Scam (for sellers)

A buyer claims the item arrived damaged or empty, files a return, then sends back an empty box or a different item.

Red Flags

Watch for:

• Prices 50%+ below market value
• Seller pushing to communicate off-platform
• Payment methods without buyer protection
• Recently created seller accounts
• Too many similar-worded positive reviews
• Stock photos instead of actual product photos
• "Limited time" or "last one" pressure tactics

What to Do If Scammed

Step 1: File a claim with the platform

eBay: Resolution Center. Amazon: A-to-Z Guarantee. Facebook: Purchase Protection.

Step 2: Dispute with your payment method

Credit cards offer chargeback rights. PayPal Goods & Services has buyer protection. Zelle/wire transfers have almost none.

Step 3: Report to the FTC

File at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI IC3 (ic3.gov).

Step 4: Document everything

Save order confirmations, messages, tracking info, photos. For secure evidence storage, LOCK.PUB lets you create password-protected encrypted memos.

How to Shop Safely

For Buyers

1. Stay on the platform — Never pay off-site
2. Use credit cards — Best chargeback protection
3. Check seller history — Account age, review patterns, sale history
4. Reverse image search — Check if product photos are stolen
5. Read reviews critically — Look for patterns in negative reviews
6. If it's too cheap, it's fake — Compare prices across multiple sites

For Sellers

1. Verify payment in your account — Don't trust screenshots
2. Ship with tracking and signature — Proof of delivery
3. Photograph everything — Package contents before shipping
4. Document serial numbers — For high-value items
5. Use platform shipping labels — Additional protection

Security Settings

Setting	Platform	Purpose
Two-factor authentication	All platforms	Prevent account hijacking
Payment password	Amazon/eBay	Block unauthorized purchases
Purchase notifications	All platforms	Real-time order alerts
Review login activity	All platforms	Detect unauthorized access

Protecting Personal Info in Transactions

When buying or selling, you may need to share shipping addresses, phone numbers, or other details. Don't send these in plain chat messages — if the other party is a scammer, your personal data is compromised.

LOCK.PUB lets you share personal details through password-protected, self-expiring links. The recipient needs the password to view, and the information disappears after the set time.

Bottom Line

Online marketplaces are generally safe when you follow the built-in protections. The golden rules: never pay off-platform, use credit cards, and if the price is too good to be true, it isn't true.

For secure sharing of personal information during transactions, create free password-protected links at LOCK.PUB — no app needed.