Troubleshooters: How to protect yourself and your money against social media scams

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Action News Troubleshooters have received a growing number of complaints about scams on Facebook Marketplace and other social media platforms.

The amount of money consumers lost to all types of social media fraud totaled $770 million in 2021 and continues to rise.

There are steps to take before you meet and pay for your transaction.

Many consumers, like Michelle Concha, love using platforms like Facebook Marketplace to get bargains.

The good news is you can still get a bargain and protect yourself from potential problems.

First: meet in a public, well-lit area, and never provide your home address. Consider meeting at a police station. Some have designated parking spots where marketplace meet-ups are watched by security cameras.

Never give cash. Facebook Marketplace recommends a secure person-to-person (P2P) payment method, but be aware that not all P2P apps are the same.

"For each of these apps, don't just assume that their default settings are ones that manage your privacy and security, and also have the best policies for helping you get your money back in case of an error," said Delicia Reynolds Hand of Consumer Reports.

CR looked at four popular apps: Apple Cash, Cash App, Venmo, and Zelle and found none of them reimburse users for things like sending money to the wrong person or sending too much money by mistake.

As for Concha, she has another tip: look at the seller's profile.

"I actually bought a car on Marketplace. And it's because we had people in common in the area that I felt actually more secure about buying the car from that person," she said.

PayPal has a purchase protection program but it doesn't cover real estate or vehicles.

Also, be aware -- some scammers want your information. So never share personal information like your email or phone number, and again, never share your address.