Tips Archives | Seven Industries, LLC.

Aug 31 2025

How to Spot and Avoid Facebook Marketplace Scams in 2025

08/31/2025 / 2 minutes of reading

Why Facebook Marketplace Scams Are on the Rise

Facebook Marketplace has become one of the most popular ways to buy and sell items locally. From furniture to electronics, it connects people in convenient ways. Unfortunately, scammers are taking advantage of this platform, and in 2025, Marketplace scams are way up.

Being informed is the first step to protecting yourself. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe.

Common Signs of a Facebook Marketplace Scam

While scams can take many forms, a few red flags show up over and over. If you see these, proceed with caution:

Newly Created Profiles
Many scam profiles show “Joined Facebook in 2025.” Scammers create new accounts to avoid being traced and to restart once their old profiles are flagged.
Locked or Private Profiles
A legitimate buyer or seller usually has friends, posts, and visible activity. Scammers often lock their profiles to hide the fact that they’re fake.
Too Good to Be True Offers
Extremely low prices on expensive items (like iPhones, laptops, or furniture) are classic bait. If the deal feels unrealistic, it probably is.
Pressure to Pay Upfront
Scammers often insist on payment before meeting or request unusual payment methods like gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.
Refusal to Meet in Person
A seller who avoids face-to-face meetings—or keeps coming up with excuses—may be trying to scam you.

Tips to Protect Yourself on Facebook Marketplace

✔ Check the Profile – Avoid new accounts with no history, especially those created in 2025 with locked activity.
✔ Meet in Safe Places – Always arrange to meet in public, well-lit areas, such as police department parking lots.
✔ Never Send Money in Advance – Pay only when you’ve seen the item in person.
✔ Trust Your Instincts – If something feels off, walk away. It’s better to miss a deal than fall for a scam.
✔ Report Suspicious Accounts – Use Facebook’s reporting tools to flag scammers and protect others in your community.

What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed

If you think you’ve fallen victim to a Facebook Marketplace scam, act quickly:

Report the account and transaction directly on Facebook.
Contact your bank or payment provider if money was sent.
File a report with your local authorities if significant money or goods were involved.

The sooner you act, the better your chances of minimizing damage.

Final Thoughts

While Facebook Marketplace scams in 2025 are more common, staying alert can keep you safe. Always look out for the warning signs—especially accounts that say “Joined Facebook in 2025” or locked profiles. By taking a few simple precautions, you can enjoy the convenience of Marketplace without falling victim to fraud.

Stay smart, stay cautious, and shop safely!

How to Spot and Avoid Facebook Marketplace Scams in 2025 Read More »

Always Keep it Local, If You Can

Recently, I found myself wanting to have a short-run of t-shirts made. So, I went over to Custom Ink and started building a shirt with artwork I had, and was kind of surprised at the price. As with most things, the more you buy the better deal you get. We’ve all been served ads for cool T-shirts that have something specifically targeted at us, like our last name or birth month – then low and behold it’s a $30 t-shirt. Not a polo-esk shirt, a t-shirt. But, we pull the trigger anyway and wait for the shipping thing to happen. After that, you’ll get ads from everyone in the t-shirt world; which is fine- but like most people I already have too many. In fact I pulled out 27 for candidates to be made into a quilt. But, that’s another story.

Back to the beginning. T-shirts. I wanted a dozen made that I designed, and decided to dig around to see who was in my backyard. My backyard these days spans from Lincoln County, NC to Pitt County, NC and up into Southampton County, VA. In this case, I wanted to see who was in Greenville, NC. First, I reached out to MoJo Originals. They were very helpful, but mainly do larger runs of apparel for companies that hire them to do the design work, layout and so fourth. They are an awesome one-stop shop – and I can’t stress enough how kind and informative they are. Find & follow them on Instagram, here. They pointed out that since my logo has a gradient I’d need a DTG printer to produce it. So, I naturally asked if anyone in town had one – and it turns out they do.

Enter – TailGate Classics. I shot them a message on Instagram at something like 10pm, and got a quick response as well. I sent them a couple of images of what I wanted, sizes and so fourth, and they said, “No problem.” They sent me an easy to pay bill that was at least $75-100 lower that Custom Ink, and the money stays in town. I love that. You should love that, too. I can’t emphasize how much it means to businesses, big or small – that their surrounding community support them. There will always be cases that involve or require you to seek outside experts/opinions, but usually you can find what you need in your backyard.

So, here we are. I’ve got my t-shirts ready for pickup and I’m happy that I was able to keep it local.

In efforts to help you find local businesses, here are some helpful links:

Greenville, NC | Chamber of Commerce

Lincolnton, NC | Chamber of Commerce

Southampton County | Chamber of Commerce

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