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  • Geebo 9:00 am on December 11, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Online Classifieds,   

    The $150 Couch That Never Existed: How Marketplace Scammers Are Targeting Holiday Shoppers 

    The $150 Couch That Never Existed: How Marketplace Scammers Are Targeting Holiday Shoppers

    By Greg Collier

    Every holiday season sparks a frenzy of buying and selling—and scammers know exactly how to slip into that chaos.

    A Cozy Deal You Wanted… and a Lie You Never Saw Coming:

    You’re scrolling through your favorite buy-and-sell app when you spot it: a clean, modern sectional at a steal of a price. It looks perfect. It’s available now. And the seller is friendly, helpful, and ready to deliver. What could go wrong?

    Plenty, as one Missouri buyer found out the hard way.

    She paid a deposit. The seller promised delivery. The messages were polite, reassuring, and downright helpful. Then the delivery time came… and went. And the “seller” vanished. The couch never existed.

    It’s a textbook example of a growing holiday scam, one built not on AI images or fake charities this time, but on trust, pressure, and buyers who want to believe a good deal really is a good deal.

    What’s Going On:

    • A desirable item appears on a marketplace app, priced low enough to feel urgent but not suspiciously cheap.
    • The seller offers delivery—solving the buyer’s transportation problem and seeming generous.
    • A deposit is requested. Usually $50–$150. “Just to hold it.” “Just to confirm delivery.”
    • The buyer pays. The communication stays friendly to keep doubts at bay.
    • The scheduled meetup arrives… and no one shows.
    • Reverse image searches reveal the photos came from somewhere else entirely.
    • The seller’s profile? Brand new. No history. No real identity.
    • By then, the money has already vanished.

    Scammers rely on the fact that many buyers, especially during the holidays, are eager to secure items quickly and will pay a small deposit without thinking twice.

    Why It Works:

    • Convenience manipulation: The offer to deliver makes the scam feel helpful, not predatory.
    • Trust-building: Scammers respond politely, promptly, and sympathetically. They mimic “good seller energy.”
    • Deposit psychology: A small upfront payment doesn’t feel risky, especially if the item seems in high demand.
    • Profile gaps go unnoticed: Many shoppers don’t check seller histories or reverse-image search photos.
    • Seasonal urgency: People want to finish holiday shopping fast, and scammers know it.

    This is how honest people get fooled, not because they’re careless, but because scammers are shockingly good at pretending to be human.

    Red Flags:

    • Profiles with little or no history: no posts, no reviews, no community presence.
    • Requests for deposits before meeting, regardless of the amount.
    • Offers to solve your problem (“I can deliver!”) that seem almost too convenient.
    • Photos that look polished or generic—reverse image search exposes them instantly.
    • Sellers who avoid video calls or refuse to show the item in real time.

    Quick Tip: If you haven’t physically seen the item, touched it, tested it, or met the seller, you shouldn’t send a cent. Deposits are a scammer’s favorite door into your wallet.

    What You Can Do:

    • Only exchange money in person once you have the item in front of you.
    • Examine seller profiles for history, reviews, and real activity.
    • Reverse-image search every suspiciously good photo—one click can save you hundreds.
    • Ask sellers to send a real-time photo or short video of the item.
    • If something feels off, trust your instincts and walk away.

    If You’ve Been Targeted:

    • Contact your bank or payment app immediately—some platforms can freeze or reverse transfers.
    • Report the fraud to your state’s Attorney General’s office, the Better Business Bureau, and the marketplace platform.
    • Warn your local community groups so the same scammer doesn’t hit someone else.
    • Keep screenshots, receipts, and timestamps—these help investigators trace patterns.

    Final Thoughts:

    Marketplace scams aren’t always glamorous or high-tech. Sometimes they’re built on nothing more than a fake couch, a friendly message, and a well-timed request for a deposit. But the damage feels just as real.

    In the rush of the holiday season, the smartest move you can make is slowing down. Real deals don’t demand deposits from strangers. Real sellers meet you in person. Real items exist in the real world, not just in stolen photos.

    Pause. Check. Verify. That’s how you keep the Grinches from stealing your money this year.

    Further Reading:

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on September 18, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Online Classifieds, , , safe exchange zones, ,   

    State Promotes Safe Exchange Zones 

    State Promotes Safe Exchange Zones

    By Greg Collier

    A bipartisan effort to improve public safety is moving forward in Pennsylvania with a new proposal to create designated Safe Exchange Zones. These public spaces would be used for completing online sales, trades, giveaways, and even custody exchanges in a secure environment. The bill recently advanced in the Pennsylvania Senate, moving closer to becoming law.

    The proposal was introduced following concerns about the dangers of in-person meetings for online transactions, particularly after a tragic incident in 2021, where an individual lost their life after meeting a buyer from a popular online marketplace. The bill seeks to prevent such tragedies by providing safe, monitored areas for these exchanges.

    If passed, the legislation would establish a grant program, allowing municipalities to set up Safe Exchange Zones at locations like police stations, sheriff’s offices, and other public places. These zones would be monitored by video surveillance and include clear emergency contact information. The Department of Community and Economic Development would oversee the program, ensuring proper policies for video monitoring and retention, while safeguarding constitutional rights.

    While this is a positive step toward improving safety, concerns remain about how effective these zones can truly be without direct supervision. Video surveillance alone may not be enough to prevent incidents, and by the time someone places an emergency call, it could already be too late to prevent harm. Without an immediate response or active monitoring, the zones may offer only limited protection in the most dangerous situations.

    If approved, this initiative could make Pennsylvania a safer place for everyday exchanges, offering residents a secure environment for meeting strangers, whether for online transactions or custody arrangements. However, the question remains whether these spaces can fully guarantee safety without more active oversight.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on March 26, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Online Classifieds, ,   

    Scammers targeting online sellers for more than just money 

    By Greg Collier

    The convenience of online marketplaces has revolutionized buying and selling. However, with this convenience comes a breed of scammers who are not only after your money but also your personal information.

    Recently, a Facebook Marketplace user shared their experience of communicating with a potential buyer who requested a verification code under the guise of ensuring trustworthiness.

    What might seem like a harmless request for verification is actually a cunning ploy by scammers to gain access to your personal information, specifically your phone number. These fraudsters pretend to be interested buyers and claim they need to verify your identity to ensure you’re not a scammer.

    Here’s how the scam typically unfolds. You, as the seller, are contacted by a supposed buyer who expresses interest in your item for sale. The buyer requests a verification code, claiming it’s for verifying your identity and ensuring a legitimate transaction. You receive a text message containing a verification code, which you’re asked to relay back to the buyer. Unbeknownst to you, the verification code is actually for setting up a Google Voice account in your name.

    Once the scammers obtain the verification code, they use it to link your phone number to their Google Voice account. With this setup, they can perpetrate various scams using the Google Voice number associated with your identity, making it harder for law enforcement to track them down.

    This scam preys on the trust and goodwill of online sellers, exploiting their willingness to facilitate smooth transactions. However, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Be cautious of any requests for verification codes, especially from individuals you don’t know or trust.

    If a buyer insists on verification, suggest alternative methods such as meeting in person at a police station or using reputable payment platforms that offer buyer protection. If you encounter any suspicious behavior or requests during online transactions, report them to the platform’s support team and warn others in your community.

    To steer clear of this scam, consider registering for your own Google Voice number. By doing so, scammers won’t be able to exploit your phone number for their schemes, as it’s already associated with your Google Voice account. Plus, you don’t necessarily need to actively use Google Voice; you can simply activate its “do not disturb” setting for added peace of mind.

    If you find that someone has already linked your phone number to a Google Voice account, don’t panic. You can reclaim ownership of your number by following the instructions provided by Google. Simply refer to their guidelines on reclaiming a number associated with a Google Voice account, and take the necessary steps to regain control of your phone number.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 28, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Online Classifieds, ,   

    40 Marketplace scam victims show up to woman’s home 

    (Stock Photo)

    By Greg Collier

    If you saw an and for a used washer and dryer for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $250, you probably wouldn’t give it any other thought. After all, it’s only $250, what scam could the seller possibly try to pull for that amount of money. You’d be partially right, as the scam didn’t take $250 from victims. It only took $125 from victims, and there we’re a lot of victims. A quick estate believes the scammers made at least $5000. And one victim didn’t lose any money but has lost the peace and quiet of her home.

    In the Atlanta area, the aforementioned washer and dryer was listed for sale for $250 on Marketplace. As you may have guessed, there wasn’t any washer or dryer for sale. It was a scam listing designed to get deposits out of victims. The scammers asked for a deposit of half the price before allowing the appliances to be picked up.

    While the article doesn’t state it, the scammers were more than likely collecting payment on personal payment apps like Venmo or Cash App.

    When the scammers would give their victims an address where they can pick the items up, they gave them a random address in Atlanta. This address belonged to a woman who had no idea scammers were using it until people started showing up to her home looking for a washer and dryer. This has been going on for weeks, with at least 40 victims showing up to her home looking to pick up a washer and dryer. She’s even had the listing removed from Facebook, but the scammers keep putting up new ones. She’s posted a sign in her front yard warning victims there in no washer/dryer, and they’ve been scammed.

    Thankfully, there have been no incidents at the woman’s home. In the past, we have seen some incidents where the scam victim refuses to believe they’ve been scammed, and have become belligerent with the homeowner.

    It doesn’t matter what item is for sale online, there can be a scam attached to it. In this instance, the victims paid a deposit before seeing the product in person. We can almost guarantee the scammers had some kind of story as to why they couldn’t deliver the item.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 23, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Online Classifieds, ,   

    How to stay safe when using online classifieds 

    By Greg Collier

    It’s been a long time when we discussed safety procedures when using online classifieds like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and even Geebo.com. This subject really hasn’t garnered any headlines in a while, but that doesn’t mean everything is safe now. Like regular people, the media can and often does focus their attention on many things. The media probably lost their attention when it comes to classifieds safety during the pandemic, as it was suggested that everyone maintained social distancing.

    Recently, a news story broke that reminded us to remind our readers about using these platforms safely. A man was shot in Jacksonville, Florida, after going to meet someone he was going to sell an iPad through Marketplace. The victim met the assailant in a gas station parking lot during the daytime. When the victim met with the buyer, the buyer tried to grab the iPad and flee with it. The victim was able to grasp the buyer, a struggle ensued, and the victim was shot.

    The victim followed the unwritten rules of meeting someone through Marketplace. He met them in a well-traveled area during daylight hours. Unfortunately, those rules don’t apply anymore, and haven’t for a while. As buyers and sellers started using these rules, the criminals adapted and became more brazen in their attempted schemes. Tragically, this has resulted in robberies, shootings, and murders.

    For years, we’ve subscribed to the notion that online classified transactions should be done at a local police department. While it’s not 100% effective, proposing to meet at a police department will go a long way in deterring countless scammers and thieves. Many police departments even have a designated area for such exchanges.

    And while we don’t often pat ourselves on the back, Geebo.com goes the extra mile of reviewing our ads to minimize the possibility of scams and other crimes. Also, each one of our ads provides a link to SafeTrade Stations, which provides a list of accommodating police departments. Geebo.com was created with the safety of our users in mind.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on September 28, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Online Classifieds, ,   

    Online sellers have to deal with this phone scam, again. 

    Online sellers have to deal with this phone scam, again.

    By Greg Collier

    Scams that involve online selling are a top priority for us, since Geebo.com is an online marketplace. Previously, we’ve taken the role of an anti-Craigslist, since we actually take steps to try to protect our userbase. One of those steps is educating our users in the ways scammers might try to take advantage of them. One of those scams has resurfaced in multiple news outlets lately, so we thought it’s a good time to remind our readers of this scam.

    If you’re not familiar with Google Voice, it’s a service provided free from Google that allows you to have a secondary phone number. For example, you can use Google Voice to have separate business and personal numbers while still only using one phone. Users are only allowed one Google Voice number per hone number. This prevents bad actors from having multiple phone numbers they can operate from. However, this does not stop them from trying, and the bad actors like to target online sellers in this scam.

    The scam starts when someone tries to sell an item online, regardless of the platform. While talking or texting with the seller, the buyer will claim that they need to verify that the seller isn’t a scammer themselves. The buyer will then claim that they’re sending a seller an authorization code to verify the seller’s integrity. The buyer will then ask the seller to repeat the code back to them.

    What’s actually happening is the buyer is setting up a Google Voice number under the seller’s phone number. The authorization code is sent by Google to make sure that a bad actor isn’t trying to use someone else’s number to sign up for Google Voice. If the seller gives out that authorization code, the scammer can hijack that Google Voice number and use it in additional scams. That way, if law enforcement attempts to trace the Google Voice number used in a scam, it will trace back to the seller.

    Thankfully, there is a surefire way to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of this scam, and that’s to sign up for your own Google Voice number. While we are in no way trying to promote Google Voice, signing up for a Google Voice number can prevent you from having a Google Voice number signed up under your phone number without your permission. If someone has already signed up for a Google Voice number that’s linked to your phone number, you can follow the instructions from Google on how to reclaim it.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on February 7, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Online Classifieds, , , ,   

    Venmo scam targets online sellers 

    Venmo scam targets online sellers

    By Greg Collier

    When selling your items online, both sellers and buyers often have to deal with scammers. No matter what platform you use, whether it’s Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, or Craigslist, the potential for being scammed is high. However, as a quick aside, Geebo.com takes steps than most platforms to try to minimize our users from being scammed. But back to the matter at hand, many of these scams revolve around the payment of whatever item is being sold. In the early days of online marketplaces, the phony check scam was the main scam that separated victims from their money. While that scam is still prevalent, digital payment scams have become the preferred tool of choice for scammers. Since the payments are made instantly, the scammers don’t have to wait as long for the payment and can disappear even quicker.

    A number of residents in the Boston area, have come forward to the local news media claiming that they’ve been scammed through the Venmo payment app. One online seller states she was selling a mirror online for $30. The supposed buyer sent her a Venmo payment for $900. According to the seller, the Venmo website said she could just send the money back to the buyer, so that’s what the seller did. A few days later, her Venmo account was suspended, emptied of the money that was in there, and Venmo was asking for additional funds to cover the $900 return.

    Scammers will often open Venmo accounts using stolen identities and credit card information. By the time the credit card company or bank catches on, the scammer has already made several Venmo transactions that will come back as fraudulent. Since Venmo can’t get the money back from the scammers, they’ll often try to reclaim the money from the scammer’s victim.

    If you’re selling something online, and the buyer sends you more than the asking amount, that’s a huge red flag that they might be trying to scam you. If you receive a Venmo payment more than what you’re asking, do not just send it back. Even if it’s a legitimate mistake on the part of the buyer, ask them to reverse the payment instead.

    Please keep in mind that Venmo was mainly designed to be used between friends and family. If you’re selling online, consider using another form of payment, such as cash or PayPal, even though those can come with scams of their own.

     

  • Geebo 11:03 am on February 12, 2019 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , Online Classifieds,   

    Geebo introduces new feature to better protect consumers 

    Geebo introduces new feature to better protect consumers

    Since the beginning, Geebo has always had user safety in mind. Not just personal safety but financial and emotional safety as well. Many of the safety choices made by Geebo have gone against what many would consider industry standards. However, we’ve always stood by those choices and have challenged other online marketplaces to do the same. For example, other classifieds sites rely on users to flag potentially fraudulent ads. This has led to abuses of the flagging system on other sites. Instead, Geebo employs a trained staff to moderate each ad for potentially fraudulent or illegal activity and the innovation doesn’t stop there.

    In 2010, Geebo took a stand against sites like Craigslist and Backpage by engaging in an anti-human trafficking campaign designed to bring awareness to the plight of victims trafficked through Geebo’s competitors. In that same year, Geebo closed its personal ads section due to the amount of trafficking that took place in the personals section of other sites. Even though there were no reported incidents about Geebo’s personals Geebo felt the removal of the section was necessary to further ensure user safety.

    In 2011, Geebo CEO Greg Collier wrote an open letter to other online classifieds asking them to take user safety more seriously by implementing such measures as moderating ads and removing adult-oriented ads. Many of those challenges were largely unheeded by other classifieds sites until media and government pressure forced them to remove their adult sections and their other ads are still largely unmoderated.

    In January 2013, Geebo made the decision to stop accepting ads for pets. In a company blog post, CEO Greg Collier noted puppy mills that sell abused or sick animals commonly use online classifieds.

    In May 2015, Geebo partnered with the AIM Group’s SafeTrade Station initiative in order to provide a list of safe trading spots at police stations across the country. Each Geebo ad contains a link to the SafeTrade Stations website so users can find a safe location to make their transactions.

    In 2016, in response to the Orlando nightclub shooting and other mass shootings, Geebo stopped accepting ads for firearms even though no firearms-related crimes were ever linked to Geebo.

    That brings us to Geebo’s latest innovation for user safety. Since late 2018, Geebo staff have been monitoring the responses to ads made through the Geebo platform. By doing this we can determine if the responses are coming from overseas which largely indicates that the ad’s respondent is more than likely a scammer. It also allows us to detect potential fraud from inside the country since our staff is trained in the detection of the most commonly used scams. We believe this proactive stance against scammers will go a long way in protecting the safety of our customers. While other sites and apps in our industry may see this as going above and beyond the call of duty we believe it’s the most logical and needed step in consumer protection.

     

  • Geebo 9:01 am on May 29, 2018 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Online Classifieds   

    Is there a new site trying to usurp Backpage’s trafficking throne? 

    Is there a new site trying to usurp Backpage's trafficking throne?

    Recently, one of New York’s less than trustworthy and more opinionated newspapers ran an article claiming online sex trafficking hasn’t changed since the federal seizure of Backpage. The article claims an ‘unnamed source’ within the NYPD saying there has been no slow down since Backpage was shuttered. This newspaper seems to be one of the outlets that believe the ‘consenting adult’ myth as they quote a john who said that prostitution should be legal since gambling and marijuana are legal in some places. The problem with that analogy is marijuana and casino chips aren’t being repeatedly sold against their will.

    However, the article then goes on to not only mention a new website but links to the new site as well that is supposedly the sleazy heir apparent to Backpage. We’re not going to link to the article, the website, or mention the website by name, but the site looks like it’s trying to copy Backpage even right down to its site design. The ads on this new site seem to be even more blatant than the usually coded ads that appeared on Backpage. This new site also has the usual disclaimer that ads related to human trafficking will not be tolerated asking ad posters to click on a button that says ‘I agree’. They’re even trying to be more shifty than Backpage was. In my research, I was unable to find any information regarding who owns the new platform. Their social media presence is almost non-existent, however, I was able to find some information that the site does business in Texas although reports say the website itself is allegedly hosted in Canada.

    While the New York tabloids may be decrying that online sex trafficking has continued unabated since the closure of Backpage, it’s still too early to really tell. It’s only been less than two months since Backpage was seized so it’s still too early to say that it’s business as usual. At its height, Backpage was responsible for 80% of all online sex trafficking in the US by most reports and had the financial backing of a media company. In today’s post-FOSTA world it will be almost impossible for a website to be as lucrative as Backpage was at its zenith.

    The online sex trafficking trade has been severely splintered. While it may continue to exist it will never be at the level it was when Backpage was running things. This is a good thing despite protests to the contrary as it causes fewer victims to be trafficked against their will. While the fight against online human trafficking is a constant battle, there will be fewer casualties in the future.

     

  • Geebo 9:49 am on April 11, 2018 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , Online Classifieds   

    Geebo: Stemming the tide of human trafficking at home 

    Geebo: Stemming the tide of human trafficking at home

    An example of many of the trafficking ads we’ve been receiving lately.

    As I’m sure you’ve read, Backpage.com was seized this past Friday by the Federal government. Two of its founders were not only indicted, but are currently sitting in jail. From the beginning, Backpage’s business model was based on the sexual slave trade, collecting as much as 99% of their revenue from the ads placed by pimps and traffickers. While making hundreds of millions of dollars in such an illicit way, the seizure of Backpage was the only logical way this could have ended.

    Since Backpage’s closure, Geebo has been receiving a torrent of ‘adult’ ad submissions for review. The keyword in that sentence is ‘review’ as Geebo has always reviewed ads for objectionable content. Thanks to the great software used under the hood at Geebo and the human curation done by our moderation staff, we have never allowed and never will allow Geebo to become a haven for those who would sell women and children into sexual servitude. Since day one and with little fanfare, Geebo has committed itself to keep its ads free from the likes posted on Backpage while maintaining a profitable business. Toward that end, Geebo was an industry trend setter when CEO Greg Collier made the decision to remove personal ads from the site in 2010 in order to prevent the ads from being abused by traffickers, where on other sites many victims are tricked into being trafficked through their personal ads.

    Another great thing about Geebo is that these decisions weren’t made due to public pressure or pending legislation. These decisions were made out of something that appears to be rare in the industry these days, and that is common human decency. Craigslist shut down there adult services section only after massive public pressure from the media, and closed their personals after the passage of FOSTA/SESTA, which is almost an admission that trafficking was still taking place on their personals. When the credit card companies cut off Backpage, they became so desperate to stay in business they started accepting payment for prostitution ads in cash, Bitcoin and gift cards. If they hadn’t been raided by Federal authorities there’s no doubt that Backpage would still be collecting money for these ads. Geebo shows that a classifieds site can be run ethically without having to resort to questionable ads designed to make money off of the suffering of others.

     

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