Get Safe Online

Published: 19 January 2023

Get Safe Online has received reports of a new scam which is being used by criminals to steal from people selling goods on social media marketplaces, when they collect goods in person.

A fake banking app on the ‘buyer’s’ phone falsely indicates that the money has been transferred to the seller’s bank account.

The seller enters their bank details into the fake app, resulting in a notification on the app that the money has been successfully transferred. However, when the seller checks their account, they find that the money has not been received. Typically, the criminal pretends to call their bank and claims they have been told that it takes up to two hours for the funds to appear in the seller’s account. When the money has still not been received in the seller’s account after this time, the fraudster has disappeared with the goods and, potentially, the victim’s bank account details.