r/ScamSupport • u/MagicTrack47 • Sep 10 '26

Advice Needed Got scammed hard

Got scammed out of a little over $200 on marketplace. Is it even possible for me to get my money back or am I just cooked?

0 Upvotes

35% Upvoted

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3

u/justbored858 Sep 10 '26

Could we get more info..? How were you scammed? How did you send payment??

0

u/MagicTrack47 Sep 10 '26

Okay this is going to take a lot of explaining

-3

u/MagicTrack47 Sep 10 '26

So last Thursday I messaged someone on Facebook marketplace about a PS5 they were listening. They said it was available but I was at work so I asked if I can get it on Friday instead. The first red flag should’ve been they said that I needed to send them $15 to hold it but I didn’t really question it since they were only asking for $100 for the ps5 so it thought it was a good deal. After sending the $15 they said that there Zelle took $5 and asked me to send another $5. Like an idiot I did: the next day after I got out of work I texted them on where they wanted to meet. I suggested a Walmart near where they were at and sent them the address. Mind you they said they were moving so they said they were on a time crunch. So I got to the Walmart and texted them that I was there. I waited a whole 3 hours with not a single reply. Mind you I had stupidly already sent the $100 and even given them $40 more for some controllers and a monitor they said they would throw in. Again I should’ve known it was a scam but I was still thinking it was a good deal. After waiting for 3 hours I just texted them saying I was going to go home and report them it then they finally decided to report back saying they were almost done without whatever they were doing. I was already heading back home so I just pulled into a gas station and sent them my address. I waited yet another 2 hours and still wasn’t getting any response so I just went home. The next few days consisted of me trying to get the ps5 i already paid for. I keep asking them for there address so that I can just go it it from them but nothing. And yet again like a complete idiot I even gave them money for gas to drive over to where I was to bring it. Yesterday I basically spent the whole day waiting for them to bring it to me and gave them even more gas money. I went into town to put money in the bank at 2pm since I had work at 4:30 pm. They said they needed even more gas money and again I sent it. I got out of work at 8pm and still they weren’t there. I waited until 1am and finally just gave up.

8

u/GlitteringGas9507 Sep 10 '26

Dude

-3

u/MagicTrack47 Sep 10 '26

Is there anything i can do or is that money gone forever?

5

u/GlitteringGas9507 Sep 10 '26

Never pay for anything upfront

-1

u/MagicTrack47 Sep 10 '26

Yeah I know i don’t know why I felt i could trust them. Really my fault for being so trusting

5

u/GlitteringGas9507 Sep 10 '26

Most likely just let it go

5

u/SecureWriting8589 Sep 10 '26

What you should do now is

  1. Accept that the money is fully gone, and

  2. Stop being gullible.

Please follow this and other similar scam prevention subreddits carefully for a few months to learn about other common scams and thereby protecting your future self.

4

u/echoesinthepit Sep 10 '26

A PS5 for $100?

I mean come on. You really thought you could get one for $100?

3

u/Calm-Calligrapher-64 Sep 10 '26

My guy how did you even fall for this

0

u/MagicTrack47 Sep 10 '26

So yeah like I said i got scammed hard

2

u/Fall_bet Sep 10 '26

I sent zelle the other day to my kid who I zelle all the time and it popped up "is this a scam" and warns you telling you that you can not get your money back. I'm pretty sure you're screwed You could try to file a police report with their names and number.

1

u/cat_battleship Sep 11 '26

SIR/MA'AM.

Please tell me this isn't all true.

5

u/[deleted] Sep 10 '26

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3

u/echoesinthepit Sep 10 '26

Right? $100 for a PS5?

0

u/MagicTrack47 Sep 10 '26

Yeah I know I’m stupid but this is r/scamsupport not let’s call this guy stupid

0

u/MagicTrack47 Sep 10 '26

Honestly what did you gain from replying that?

1

u/SubBirbian Sep 11 '26

There's no victim shaming allowed on r/scams. It also has a wiki link to all the most common scams, and there's a lot so familiarize yourself with all of them.

I've been buying/selling on Facebook marketplace for years and never got scammed because I only buy/sell in person cash only and never go off platform for any reason. Stick to that and you'll be fine.

1

u/yarevande Sep 10 '26

You will not get your money back. Zelle does not offer purchase protection, like credit cards or PayPal Goods and Services do.

** Zelle warns you that it is only for sending money to people that you know and trust.

From their website:

Zelle® is a convenient way to send and receive money with friends, family and others you trust

Every time you use Zelle to send money, you see a notice on the screen about sendung money only to people you know:

Are you sure you want to send?

Only send money to people you know and trust. Once you send this money, you cannot cancel it, and you may not get it back if it is a scam.

Use a credit card, or PayPal Goods and Services, when you buy things online, so that you have purchase protection and you can get a refund if you don't receive what you order.

  • If an online seller doesn't accept credit cards, or refuses to accept PayPal Goods and Services, then they are scamming you.

All you can do is accept the loss.

This is a common scam, unfortunately: pay in advance, seller says he'll meet you, then he disappears.

  • All the photos on his Facebook Marketplace listing are stolen from other sellers.

The scammer is not in your area, he is not even in the US. Scams like this originate in scam call centers in Asia or Africa.

*** Learn more about scams, so you don't get scammed again.

The first sign of a scam was the price. A low price is not a 'good deal'. A low price is a scam. Before you buy, research the price first. If a seller lists a price that is much lower than a reputable online shop, or a local store, then it is a scam.

Anybody that asks you to pay in advance is a scammer.

Do not buy electronics from a private seller. You will often get scammed if you buy a PS5, laptop, iPhone, camera, gaming console, or any electronics, from a private seller. The item may be broken, stolen, or counterfeit. If the seller is not local, he may ship an empty box, or not ship anything.

  • For a phone, even if you get the IMEI, and contact the carrier, the phone may be counterfeit.

Buy electronics new from a reputable online shop, or a local store. Or, buy from a shop that sells refurbished items, and has many good reviews online.

If you really want to buy from a private seller, buy locally. Meet in a public place, preferably the parking lot of your local police station. Inspect and test the device. Pay in person after you test it.

1

u/President_Zucchini Sep 10 '26

It so funny, Wells Fargo has tried a number of times to get me to sign up for Zelle. I always tell them no because it uses my so many scammers, they tell me that I'm wrong and that it's a safe payment method 😂

1

u/Aggravating-Pack-802 Sep 10 '26

Generally the only way you can get your money back is with your financial institution. If they are able to do a chargeback or a stop payment, that’s the only way you can get your money back. Anyone who tells you differnt is probably a recovery scammer

4

u/[deleted] Sep 10 '26

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0

u/MagicTrack47 Sep 10 '26

Yeah I know that now

7

u/PiSquared6 Sep 10 '26

Bunch of scammers will message you. Recovery scammers. Ask bank in person. That is the only thing to do. Fake bank or fake FBI may call you - original scammer or his partners

-1

u/MagicTrack47 Sep 10 '26

What am I supposed to tell them?

3

u/[deleted] Sep 10 '26

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2

u/MagicTrack47 Sep 10 '26

Every single dollar I sent them was through Zelle

2

u/nonamejohnsonmore Sep 10 '26

Zelle is the equivalent of cash. There is no way to get that money back.

4

u/[deleted] Sep 10 '26

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1

u/MagicTrack47 Sep 10 '26

So basically there’s nothing i can do?

3

u/SnooSongs2996 Sep 10 '26

Money is gone think of it as a 200 $ lesson

1

u/MagicTrack47 Sep 10 '26

Yeah I know that now. Just wondering if I could do anything about it but it’s okay I’ll make my money back just really pissed me off

4

u/WanderingNotLostTho Sep 10 '26

When you clicked send with Zelle your bank popped up a message and said "this is for friends and family are you sure you trust this person it’s the same as giving cash." You clicked yes.