HOUSTON — Looking for a great deal? Then you might be looking at Facebook Marketplace.
But if so, watch out. One couple's warning is just another reminder that some of those deals are too good to be true.
Mark and Kathy Fisher were looking for a new patio set.
Prices were high, so they scrolled through Facebook Marketplace until they found one.
"Furniture, unclaimed furniture, returned furniture, in the warehouse, must move," Mark said. "I believe it was normally $175 and it was for sale for $39," Kathy added.
The ad had lots of photos and details, so the Fishers figured it was real.
"Extremely legitimate, because it had Home Depot written all over it," Kathy said.
So they placed the order, but got a PayPal response with Chinese characters all over it. No patio furniture and no response to their emails.
It turns out it wasn't really Home Depot that posted the ad.
Someone copied the store's logo and pictures of the patio set, and posted it all on Facebook Marketplace, looking to lure a victim.
Home Depot says they're aware of the fake ads.
Meanwhile, the Better Business Bureau says online purchase scams are common with thousands of complaints each year.
"Impersonation is one of the key factors of what scammers love to do," Sarah Wetzel of the BBB said. "They love to impersonate those well-known companies because that way they already have a foot in the door with the consumers."
Wetzel says before clicking a social media ad, take a close look at the URL and make sure it's a legitimate business.
"They may just change one letter in there," Wetzel said. "M's and N's look very close alike."
It could also be a scam if items are advertised much lower than priced in store. You can also tell if you find spelling or grammatical errors, or if the business address seems wrong.
If the price is too low, just ask questions so you don't waste your money.