FORT SMITH, Ark. — Facebook Marketplace lets people buy and sell pretty much anything people want. It can also be a place for scams.
"It was around nine in the morning on Thursday,” Brittany Bowers, a homeowner in Fort Smith said. "We got a knock on the door and a gentleman was here trying to pick up a leather sofa, we don't even own a leather sofa."
Throughout the day on Thursday, Bowers said she had multiple people show up to her house looking to pick up a leather couch from Facebook Marketplace. According to Bowers, some of those people had made a $150 down payment on a $300 couch.
Messages between the buyer and the seller said that the couch would be available for pick up at the Bowers’ residence. The only problem: there was no couch.
"These folks were coming by the house to pick up this sofa that they'd put the deposit down on,” Bowers said. “We then had to give them the bad news that we don't own a leather couch, we didn't make the post, someone had scammed them."
Whether it’s selling faulty products, using counterfeit money, or simply selling something that does not exist, like a leather couch, Fort Smith police say scams like this are not uncommon, but there are ways to protect yourself.
“If a seller starts trying to change the game on you, after you've made initial contact, tries to alter the location of where you complete the transaction, just listen to your instincts and don't do it,” Aric Mitchell, Public Information Officer for the Fort Smith Police Department said.
Mitchell added that it is a good idea to do research before buying a product.
“You've always got to do your due diligence and research the seller and research the product,” Mitchell said. “Always know that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
As for Bowers, she said she is still not sure why her address was used in the scam, but has filed a police report to have it on record that scams like this are happening.
Nevertheless, Bowers said she is still frustrated with the whole situation
“It's out of our hands,” Bowers said. “We feel bad for anybody who may have lost money or has taken the time to load up their truck to come pick up a sofa that they thought was perfect for a really good price. It's just really frustrating."
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