A woman recently sparked discussion on TikTok when she shared a PSA on a potential Facebook Marketplace scam.
When TikToker @wfhmama0 decided to sell her car on Facebook Marketplace, she was hoping to pay off her loan and make a bit of extra money.
Instead, she found herself entangled in a complicated scam, leaving her without her car, and her money, and facing what seems to be a long, frustrating process to recover what’s hers.
She shared her video in a two-part TikTok series, which has since garnered over 56,200 views at the time of writing.
“There’s a scam on Facebook that I want to tell you all about,” the TikToker begins, “so you don’t fall victim to it like I did.”
How did things go wrong?
@wfhmama0 started receiving inquiries about the car and let potential buyers know there was still a lien on the vehicle, explaining that the buyer would need to wait for the title after her bank received the final payment. (A lien is a public record showing that your property actually belongs to the creditors.)
Then a man called, saying he could make the bank payment immediately and cover the rest with a cashier’s check. It seemed too good to be true—and unfortunately, it was.
As they spoke, the buyer gave her his ID and other information, making the whole setup appear legitimate.
But when she suggested they meet the following day to ensure the payment cleared, things took an odd turn.
“He calls me back and he’s on three-way with his wife,” @wfhmama0 explained, “and she’s freaking out now because this was supposed to be a surprise for her.”
The pressure ramped up. The man insisted he’d already paid her bank, and now she should meet him with the car. His wife, he claimed, was so upset that they wanted her to send the money back to them.
“They make you feel like you are the bad person,” she said, calling the couple’s behavior “narcissistic.”
In the end, the buyer arranged for a “cousin” to meet her.
@wfhmama0 agreed, desperate to finalize the sale. But as she handed over the car, she couldn’t shake her doubts.
The TikToker finds herself part of a complicated scam
“Three days [later]… I check the account, and sure enough, I owe thousands of dollars on the car,” she reveals. “Not one cent went through, and I’m back at square one.”
It turns out, according to @wfhmama0, that the buyer used a stolen identity, leaving her without her car or the money she needed.
“I don’t have a car now, I don’t have the extra money, and I’m hearing this is going to take a while,” she said.
She’s now facing a long wait for any resolution, while she claims police are saying the issue is a civil matter, not criminal.
@wfhmama0 shared her story to warn others, hoping that no one else falls for the same scam.
“Keep me and my babies in your thoughts and prayers,” she concluded.
How to protect yourself from similar scams
To start, selling a vehicle with a lien is more complex than selling one that’s paid off.
According to J.D. Power, private buyers are generally unable to purchase a car with an active lien. “When there’s a lien on your car, the lienholder maintains legal control,” the site explains. “While you have the right to register the car in your name and legally drive it, you do not have the right to sell that car to another person.”
The best option for selling a car that’s still financed, J.D. Power suggests, is to work with a dealership.
If, like the TikToker, someone wants a private buyer to cover the full loan amount, J.D. Power advises doing everything through the lender’s office, as navigating the legal steps independently can be challenging.
Viewers empathize
Commenters empathized with the TikToker’s situation. Others advised others who might be thinking of doing the same thing.
“Whenever someone tries to rush you, that is a huge red flag!” said one user.
@wfhmama0 #scam #scammers #fyp #facebookscammers ♬ original sound – WFHmama
“Your first clue should have been they didn’t see or drive the car,” remarked a second.
“Maybe talk to an attorney,” advised a third. “File bankruptcy if you have too.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to @wfhmama0 via TikTok comment and direct message.
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