I paid a Marketplace seller and they disappeared. Will reporting them return my money?
The short answer
Stop further payments. Contact the bank or payment service you used immediately. Reporting to Facebook and requesting recovery of a payment are separate actions; neither guarantees a refund.
What this answer is based onWhat to do
If you also shared a password or installed an app, use the linked security guide in parallel. For threats or suspected crime, contact the appropriate local authorities; platform reporting is not an emergency service.
- Keep a private record of listing and profile links, messages, the promised item and delivery, payment date, amount, recipient and transaction reference. Do not delay contacting the payment provider to collect everything. Do not publish receipts or account details.
- Open your bank or payment app yourself, or use the contact on your card. Explain the suspected scam and accurately state whether you authorised the payment. Ask about reversal or dispute options and applicable deadlines. Save the case reference; do not pay the seller a fee to unlock a refund.
- Open the listing or seller profile in Facebook and use a report option if offered. Choose an accurate reason and keep any confirmation. If you have a Facebook order, check its own help and eligibility terms. If the listing or reporting option is gone, retain the saved link and continue with the payment provider rather than waiting for Facebook.
The situation
You pay a deposit for a used phone. The seller deletes the listing and asks for another payment to release a refund.
The situation and an improvement
You wait for Facebook to return a payment it may not control.
You keep evidence and pursue the payment issue with its provider separately from reporting.
More examples
Bank transfer, no Facebook order
You paid after a Messenger chat and have only a bank receipt.
What to do
Use your bank’s fraud channel and keep the conversation. A Facebook conversation does not automatically create purchase protection.
Asked to withdraw a dispute
The seller promises repayment only if you cancel your complaint.
What to do
Ask your payment provider about the consequences before changing the case. Verify repayment in your own account, not a screenshot.
What this answer is based on
FTC · What To Do if You Were Scammedconsumer.ftc.govMeta MyDigitalWorld · Marketplace protection limitsFacebook Help · Marketplace scams · Full source review pendingFacebook Help · Purchase Protection · Full source review pendingPrimary source readReview details
Source reviewed:
We read the official source listed for this topic. Other Meta rules are reviewed separately.
Checked 10 November 2026: the FTC June 2026 article supports contacting the payment provider promptly; Meta MyDigitalWorld documents protection exclusions. The two Help Center links opened a login page, so current report buttons, claim deadlines and regional eligibility were not verified. The evidence checklist and ordering are ClearRules advice; no account tested.
Include the guide link, language and wording that needs checking. Add an official source link if you have one. Do not send passwords, login codes or photos of identity documents.
Examples are made up to explain the guidance. Meta decides individual account and content cases.
Sources and related topicsPolicy Graph · Demo in development