Marketplace and Resale Scam Checklist

Buying or selling on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, or similar platforms in the Las Vegas area comes with common, predictable scam patterns.

As a buyer:

• Meet in person, in a public place, ideally a designated "safe exchange zone" (many LVMPD substations offer this) for higher-value items.
• Never pay in full before seeing and inspecting the item in person.
• Be suspicious of sellers who only want to ship, who are "out of town," or who push you toward a specific payment app with no buyer protection.
• Verify serial numbers or authenticity for higher-value items (electronics, watches, designer goods) before paying.

As a seller:

• Be wary of buyers who "accidentally" overpay and ask you to refund the difference — this is a classic overpayment/fake-check scam.
• Don't accept cashier's checks or money orders from unfamiliar buyers for high-value items without verifying with the issuing bank directly.
• Meet in a public, well-lit location for the exchange.

Red flags across both sides:

• Refusal to meet in person or do a video call showing the actual item.
• Urgency and pressure ("I need this today or I'm buying elsewhere").
• Payment offered above asking price with a request to send back the difference.
• Communication that quickly moves off the platform to unmonitored channels.

If you got scammed: Save the listing, all messages, and payment records. Report to the platform (most have a fraud reporting flow). File with LVMPD or FBI IC3 depending on how the transaction occurred. Document it on VegasBlacklist with evidence so others searching the same handle or contact can see the pattern.

Last reviewed: [DRAFT DATE — update before publish]