Three Aussies issue warning about latest Facebook Marketplace scam

Question

Three Australians have urged others to be diligent when using Facebook Marketplace after chatting to a fraudster who posed as a friendly Sydneysider selling a designer couch. 

Jason Fassbender, Georgina Solomon, KetoXplode Bewertung and Georgina's friend Bec were all conned into thinking a $800 Black Leather Togo set by Michel Ducaroy was authentic with  Bec even paying a $100 deposit to secure the deal. 

The listing caught their attention as the designer three-seater and two-seater retails for anywhere between $8,000 to $33,000. 

Georgina, 39, was provided an address in Surry Hills and was only told by the resident she'd fallen for a scam when she visited the location. 

Georgina, a model and founder of the photography studio Prim Haus, has been a regular user of Marketplace for 10 years and was browsing when she came across what she thought was a remarkable find. 





Sydney model Georgina Solomon (pictured) stumbled across a Black Leather Togo set by Michel Ducaroy on Facebook Marketplace for $800 and eagerly messaged the seller as the designer item sells for $8,000 minimum 





Jason Fassbender (pictured) messaged another seller and also almost fell for a scammer's trap





The fraudsters posed as friendly Sydneysiders selling 'designer' items and requested deposits from buyers, only to later block them once received 





Georgina went to an address in Surry Hills she was given to go see the couch only to meet the resident who alerted her it was a scam. The man then put a sign on his door (pictured) 

She said she was always  outsourcing products from Marketplace for her studio, which focuses on sustainability and recycled pieces. 

Georgina almost fell over when she saw the price of the couch as she knew such a product usually retails for $8,000 minimum. 

'I contacted the seller who would respond at really weird hours such as 2am or 4am,' Georgina recalled. 

'I had a gut feeling about it that something wasn't quite right. He would ask me questions and I felt pressured to buy.' 

She was then asked to pay a $200 deposit to secure the sale - and she almost did.