Scam blocking: Santander does not allow customers to purchase items on Facebook Marketplace unless they have seen them in person
Santander rules preventing customers from buying items on Facebook Marketplace unless they have seen them in person have prevented almost 2,000 scams, Money Mail can reveal.
The protections, introduced in December, mean customers must tick a box to say they have seen what they are buying before they can make an online payment to the seller.
If not, the transaction is blocked and the buyer is encouraged to view the item or use a more secure payment method, such as a debit or credit card.
Facebook Marketplace, where any user can post items for sale, offers no protection to customers.
If you pay before pickup, you risk losing your money if the seller does not deliver the item.
But scammers continue to pressure buyers. Up to 263 customers who told Santander they had not seen an item in person later changed their response so their payment could be processed.
Customers who fell victim to a Facebook Marketplace shopping scam lost £647 on average.
a.cooke@dailymail.co.uk
