Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, and similar boards are full of real local deals—and full of scripts that end with you wiring money, sending Zelle/Cash App, or “refunding” an overpayment. The check-bounce cousin is covered in Fake overpayment check scams. This guide focuses on wire and irreversible P2P variants aimed at sellers and buyers.
Broader map: Credit and debt scams. Gift-card extracts: Gift cards and prepaid debit risks.
Common marketplace wire scripts
| Script | Who is targeted | How the money leaves |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer “already wired” / needs your Western Union or MoneyGram details | Seller | You never receive real funds; or a fake “escrow” asks a release fee |
| Overpayment + “wire the difference to my shipper” | Seller | Fake check deposits, then irreversible wire of the “extra” |
| Distant buyer sends a moving-company escrow link | Seller | Phishing page harvests card data or advance fees |
| Seller demands wire / crypto / gift cards before meetup | Buyer | Item never ships; “friends and family” P2P has weak buyer protection |
| Fake escrow or “Craigslist guarantee” site | Either side | Advance fee to “unlock” funds that do not exist |
| Job-adjacent “equipment stipend” on a local ad | Would-be worker | Same deposit-and-return trap as job offer deposit scams |
Craigslist’s own safety pages warn against wiring money for local deals. Treat any pressure to use Western Union, MoneyGram, Bitcoin ATMs, or irrevocable P2P with a stranger as a hard stop.
Why “the wire already cleared” is a lie
Wires and many P2P sends are final once claimed. Fake cashier’s checks can show as available at Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, or a credit union for days before the return hits—then you are short the amount you already forwarded. Platform “buyer protection” usually does not cover wire or gift-card payments you sent off-platform.
P2P habits that reduce damage: Zelle and P2P payment scams.
Worked example: the $1,100 bike
Sam lists a bike for $350 on Craigslist. “Chris” emails from a Gmail address: a corporate purchasing card “accidentally” cut a $1,100 payment; Sam should wire $750 to the logistics contractor and keep $350. A PDF “cashier’s check” is attached.
Sam refuses any overpayment and insists on cash at a police-station parking lot. Chris vanishes. If Sam had deposited a real-looking instrument and wired $750, the bank clawback would have left Sam owing roughly the full deposit while the wire stayed gone.
Safer local-sale rules
- Prefer in-person cash, or a platform checkout that holds funds (when the app offers it).
- Meet in a public place; for vehicles or high value, a bank branch lobby or police station lot.
- Never accept overpayment. Never wire “shipping,” “escrow,” or “customs.”
- Do not click escrow links from email—type the marketplace URL yourself or skip the deal.
- Sellers: ignore buyers who will not state a local pickup window without payment first.
- Buyers: ignore sellers who refuse to show the item on video call or in person before payment.
If a “buyer” or “support agent” asks you to install remote-viewing software, treat it as phishing / account takeover and stop.
If you already wired or Zelled
- Call your bank or credit union’s fraud line immediately; ask about a wire recall (often unsuccessful once paid out).
- For Western Union / MoneyGram, contact the service’s fraud line the same day—intercepts sometimes work if uncollected.
- File ReportFraud.ftc.gov and a local police report if you need a case number for the bank.
- Do not pay a second “recovery” firm to retrieve the first loss.
- If you shared ID images or account numbers, monitor accounts and consider freezes at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Checklist
- Local deal → local payment method; no wires to strangers.
- Refuse overpayments and third-party “shipper” refunds.
- Ignore off-platform escrow sites pitched in email or text.
- No gift cards, crypto ATMs, or irreversible P2P for Craigslist strangers.
- Document chat and ads; report clear scams even when you walked away.
- Teach household members the same wire rule for Marketplace and OfferUp.
Facebook Marketplace overpayment, fake-buyer, and shipping variants: Fake Facebook Marketplace scams.
Distant car sellers who insist on a third-party “auto escrow” portal: Fake car seller escrow scams.
Neighborhood-app free-stuff hold fees and fake local-buyer scripts: Fake Nextdoor neighbor scams.
OfferUp local-meetup overpayment and off-app payment variants: Fake OfferUp meetup scams.
Fake Craigslist rental deposit and remote-landlord scams: Fake Craigslist rental deposit scams.
Craigslist “job” posts that send a stipend check then demand equipment wires: Fake Craigslist job scams.
Craigslist overpayment and fake-check variants (refund-the-difference): Fake Craigslist overpayment scams.
Craigslist deals that demand Apple, Google Play, Steam, or prepaid PINs instead of wires: Fake Craigslist gift card scams.
Facebook Marketplace wire and bank-transfer cousins: Fake Facebook Marketplace wire scams. OfferUp wire and MoneyGram cousins: Fake OfferUp wire scams.
Craigslist Venmo / Friends & Family payment pressure: Fake Craigslist Venmo scams.
Educational only. Not legal, banking, or fraud-recovery advice. Platform policies and bank recall windows vary; verify payment safety pages on the marketplace you use.