Facebook Marketplace Scams in Canada: The Complete 2026 Guide

The most common Facebook Marketplace scams in Canada are fake Interac e-Transfer emails that steal sellers' banking logins, "Request Money" notifications disguised as payments, verification-code hijacks, overpayment tricks, and fake sellers who take a deposit and disappear. Nearly all of them come down to the same thing: money or a code changes hands before both people are standing in the same place with the item.

This guide covers the major scams targeting sellers and buyers in 2026, the red flags, how payment methods compare, and where to report fraud in Canada.

Why Marketplace scams work so well in Canada

Canadians trust Interac e-Transfer, and local deals are fast and casual, which is the perfect setting for someone to rush you. In a CBC News report on a Fredericton seller who listed a $30 table, a fake e-Transfer email led to an attempted $3,000 withdrawal from her bank account within minutes. A cybersecurity expert quoted in the same story said about $600 million was reported stolen from Canadians the previous year, and that this was believed to be only around 10 per cent of the real total.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's guidance on merchandise fraud groups these scams into three families: overpayment schemes, fake payment confirmations and non-delivery. Everything below fits into one of them.

Scams that target sellers

1. The fake e-Transfer email (phishing)

A "buyer" agrees to your price instantly, says they are out of town, and offers to pay now if you hold the item. A convincing Interac-style email arrives with a link to what looks like your bank's login page. You enter your password and the one-time code your bank texts you, and the scammer, watching in real time, uses them to get into your real account.

Kelowna RCMP described this to Global News in 2024 as "an extremely sophisticated scam that is a variation of the one-time passcode scam." The fix is simple: never deposit an e-Transfer through a link someone prompted you to watch for. Open your banking app yourself and check. We break down every version of this trick in our guide to the fake e-Transfer scam on Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace.

2. The "Request Money" reversal

Instead of sending you money, the scammer sends an Interac Money Request and tells you it is their payment. If you tap "Accept," you are the one sending money. As Kijiji's help centre puts it, "A legitimate buyer should be sending payment to you, not requesting money from you." Always read whether a notification says payment or request before touching anything.

3. Overpayment

The buyer "accidentally" sends more than the asking price and asks you to refund the difference. According to the CAFC, the original payment later bounces or is reversed, so the refund came out of your own pocket. Never refund an overpayment; cancel the deal instead.

4. The verification code scam (Google Voice)

A buyer says they have been scammed before and wants to "verify" you are real, so they ask for your phone number and then for a six-digit code that arrives by text. As CBC Nova Scotia reported, that code is actually from Google Voice, and reading it back lets the scammer tie your number to their account and use it for other fraud or to break into your accounts. No real buyer needs a code from your phone. Ever.

5. Courier and shipping scams

The buyer cannot meet, so they send a "courier" link asking you to pay an insurance or shipping fee, or enter card details to "release" the payment. Canada Post says it does not send unsolicited emails asking for your credit card number, account numbers or passwords. Any shipping link that asks the seller to pay is a scam.

6. Fake payment screenshots

The CAFC warns that fraudsters send fake confirmations to convince sellers money was sent when nothing was transferred. Meta's own advice is to always check your account to confirm payment, even if the buyer sends a screenshot. A screenshot proves nothing. Your bank balance does.

Selling a vehicle? Read how to sell a car privately in Ontario safely.

Scams that target buyers

1. Deposit to hold

The seller has a hot item, lots of interest and asks for an e-Transfer deposit to hold it. Then they vanish. Vancouver police warned in 2022 that suspects using this exact pattern may have defrauded as many as 50 people, using multiple bank accounts, fake names and phone numbers. Interac is clear that once an e-Transfer is deposited, it cannot be reversed (more on that in can an Interac e-Transfer be reversed?).

2. Fake listings and rentals

The RCMP in B.C. lists the classic rental scam signs: rent lower than similar places, a deposit requested without a formal lease, a landlord who will not meet in person, or photos that only show the outside. Reverse image search the photos and never pay before seeing the unit and signing an agreement.

3. Counterfeit and stolen goods

The CAFC flags steep discounts (think 80 per cent off) and listings that call the product "the item" as signs of trouble. A too-good price on electronics can mean a fake, a locked device or stolen goods. Ask for the box or receipt, check serial numbers, and test everything before paying. Our guide to buying a used iPhone safely in Canada walks through every check.

4. Bait and switch

The photos show one thing and something else shows up, or the seller "just sold it" and offers a pricier substitute. Compare the actual item to the listing photos and walk away if anything changes at the last minute.

5. Phishing links and hacked friend accounts

Some sellers send links to "complete checkout" or "confirm shipping" that capture your login or card details. Meta calls links that require you to log in with personal information or passwords "an immediate red flag." Scammers also take over real Facebook accounts and message the owner's friends, so if a "friend" is selling you something, confirm it is really them through another channel, like a phone call, before paying.

The same tricks appear elsewhere too: see our breakdown of Kijiji scams.

Red flags checklist

If you see two or more of these in a conversation, stop and reset the deal on your terms:

• The buyer agrees to full price instantly and cannot meet "because they're out of town."
• Anyone asks for your phone number or a verification code to "prove you're real."
• A payment email asks you to click a link and log in to your bank.
• The notification says Money Request instead of payment.
• You are sent more than the asking price and asked to refund the difference.
• Payment "proof" arrives as a screenshot instead of in your bank account.
• Someone mentions Interac "escrow" or funds being "on hold." Interac does not provide escrow services.
• A courier link asks the seller to pay a fee.
• The price is far below market value or the listing calls the product "the item."
• The profile is brand new with little history.
• You are pushed to move the chat off Marketplace or to decide right now.

How to pay and get paid safely

The real question is who carries the risk and whether a mistake can be undone. Here is how the options compare for an in-person deal:

The pattern is clear: the safest deals are the ones where the buyer's money is committed before the meetup but nobody can walk off with it until the item is inspected. That is what escrow does, and it is why we built LockNDeal: the buyer locks the payment, LockNDeal holds it, the buyer inspects the item in person, and the seller is paid instantly when the buyer enters the seller's 4-digit code. Read more in our guide to escrow for marketplace deals in Canada.

Whatever you use, these habits cut your risk:

1. Meet in a public, well-lit place. Vancouver police suggest a police station lobby. Here is our list of safe exchange zones in the GTA.
2. Check payments in your banking app, never through an emailed link. Turning on Autodeposit means incoming e-Transfers land in your account without a link or security question.
3. Keep the conversation on Marketplace so there is a record if something goes wrong.
4. Never share codes from texts, emails or apps with anyone.
5. Use a deposit that protects both sides. Sellers tired of people who never show can read our guide to stopping no-shows on Facebook Marketplace. With LockNDeal, sellers can set a deposit, and if the buyer no-shows the seller receives a no-show fee while the buyer is refunded the rest.

Where to report Marketplace scams in Canada

If you have lost money or shared banking details, act fast and in this order:

1. Your bank or credit union. Call the number on the back of your card to lock your account and flag any transfers. Interac directs people with transaction problems to their own financial institution.
2. Your local police. The CAFC says victims should contact local police as soon as possible.
3. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Report fraud and cybercrime to the CAFC online at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca (anonymous reports are allowed) or by phone at 1-888-495-8501, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Eastern.
4. Interac. Forward fake e-Transfer emails or texts to phishing@interac.ca.
5. Meta. Report the buyer, seller or listing directly from Marketplace. Meta's Marketplace safety page explains how, and says to contact Facebook support if a dispute with a seller is not resolved within two business days.

For a full step-by-step recovery plan, including what to screenshot and what to say to your bank, read scammed on Facebook Marketplace? What to do in Canada.

The bottom line

The playbook never changes: rush you, get money or a code before the handover, and disappear. Slow down, verify payments yourself, never share codes, and only let money move when you are face to face with the item. Learn more about how we protect deals on our security page, or find answers in the help centre.