A couple in Queensland, Leah and Gerard, have been overwhelmed by over 100 prospective buyers arriving at their home due to a scam involving fake listings on Facebook Marketplace. The couple was forced to erect a warning sign and a physical barrier after strangers began knocking on their door, inquiring about non-existent items such as televisions, sofas, and mattresses.
The bizarre incident began when someone visited their home to ask about a bicycle. All the buyers had responded to ads posted by a fraudulent seller who had misused Leah and Gerard’s address. “We had more than 100 people show up, some of whom had even paid deposits,” Leah stated.
As the influx of visitors continued from early morning till late at night, ID Care, a cyber support group in Australia, noted a rise in such scams, warning that fake sellers often select random addresses to establish a false sense of locality and trust. The couple’s situation only improved after their local MP took action to contact Meta, Facebook’s parent company, to remove the scam listings.
Gerard emphasised the importance of verifying seller identities, particularly flags like new profiles with no followers or suspiciously low prices. Thankfully, the disturbances have ceased, bringing relief to the couple.