‘I’m gonna be out of town’: Woman sells shoes on Facebook Marketplace. Then the buyer tries to pay her in advance

Facebook Marketplace scams are super common, with several people having come forward with PSAs and stories throughout recent years. 

From having their car stolen after listing it for sale to falling victim to identity theft, these scams have left many frustrated and out of pocket.

Recently, another TikToker has a story that proves just how easy it is to get caught up in one of these Facebook Marketplace schemes. 

In a video that has been viewed over 1 million times, TikTok user Angie Sun (@povangie) shares her experience of losing $900 to a scammer while trying to sell a pair of sneakers. 

How did it happen?

Angie explained that she was on vacation when she asked her friend to sell her sneakers on Facebook Marketplace. It didn’t take long before a buyer—who went by the name “Alberto Javier”—expressed interest.

“He was like, 'Hey, I’m really interested in the shoes. Can I buy it from you? Like, I really like it,'” Sun recounted. She and her friend agreed, and that’s when the red flags started rolling in.

“Javier” said he was out of town and wouldn’t be able to pick up the shoes until later, so he asked to pay in advance via e-transfer. Sun, thinking this sounded reasonable, provided her email. “I trusted him as my first instinct,” she admitted.

After receiving what looked like a legitimate Interac e-transfer email, Sun clicked the deposit link and was redirected to a webpage asking for her banking details. While the process felt off, she ignored the warning signs and entered her information.

“After I entered my email and password, the browser said my deposit was pending because it was a business account. I didn’t question it,” Sun explained. “That was my sixth red flag ignored.”

Later, Sun says she received an email showing a $900 transfer from her account to someone named Sean—a name she didn’t recognize.

“That was the exact moment I realized I was scammed,” she said. “The scammer used the information I entered to log into my banking app and take the money.”

What happened next?

Angie says she immediately contacted her bank, TD Canada Trust, and filed a fraud claim. After five stressful days, she was able to recover her $900.

"Usually, it’s not so lucky like that,” she said, noting that scams involving debit accounts can be harder to resolve than those involving credit cards.

Sun ended her story with a warning: “Be careful when selling online. Always double-check who you’re dealing with.”

Protect yourself from similar scams 

While Sun was lucky to get her money back, her experience shows how easy it is to fall victim to scams online. 

As per Keeper Security, however, there are steps you can take to stay safe while either selling or buying from Facebook Marketplace. It suggests always using secure payment methods like PayPal Goods & Services, which investigates fraud claims and offers better protection than apps like Zelle or Venmo. 

Additionally, buyers should also carefully inspect items in person before purchasing and stick to communicating strictly through Facebook Messenger only. 

According to the site, sharing personal contact information like your phone number or email with a seller or buyer is a red flag that should be avoided.

@povangie Have you ever gotten scammed? #greenscreen #financetok #scams #ihatescammers ♬ original sound - Angie Sun

Commenters share their thoughts

In the comments under the video, viewers shared their own experiences while others shared tips. 

“If it feels weird GET OUT IMMEDIATELY,” advised one viewer. 

“Had the same experience omg,” shared another. 

“This is why you turn on auto deposit,” suggested a third.

The Daily Dot has reached out to Sun via email and Instagram direct message. It also contacted Facebook and TD Canada Trust via email for official comment. 

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