How can I avoid scams when buying online?
Only buy when you can confirm who the seller is, and use payment methods that protect you, like paying inside the platform. A very low price, pressure to decide and a request to send GCash outside the app are the most common signs of a scam.
In deals between people – Facebook groups, Marketplace, social media – the scammer posts something they do not have, receives the payment and disappears. It also happens the other way around: a "buyer" sends you a fake GCash receipt. And some sellers are just "budol": the hard sell that makes you pay before you think.
Before you pay
- Be careful with a price far below the market.
- Do not leave the app to pay outside it.
- Search for the seller's name, number and username together with the word "scammer".
- Ask for a video of the item with your name written on a piece of paper.
- If you are selling, check in your own GCash or bank app that the money really arrived. Never trust a screenshot.
Frequently asked questions
- The seller has lots of reviews. Can I trust them?
- It helps, but reviews can be bought or belong to another account. Look at how long the profile has existed.
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