This is complicated: I am a member of Facebook and have a Facebook Shop. Facebook has a MARKETPLACE which is separate from my Facebook Page and Facebook Shop. In that MARKETPLACE you can post items for sale and the seller has to meet you somewhere to pay for it and pick it up. Facebook MARKETPLACE has a system called “checkout with shipping”. However, this checkout form is not automatic and I was trying to find out from Facebook how to add this application when I sold items.
Because Facebook (FB) does not provide a service to talk to an actual legitimate person you have to rely on MARKET INQUIRY SUPPORT IN BOX. You send them an e mail and they respond. I did this and no help. However, they did inform me to use FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE HELP CENTER. Post my question and wait for an answer which I did. This allowed FB employees to set up a scam to defaud.
10/6/2019
Post on Facebook Marketplace (FMP abbreviation in this document) Help Center request for Help from the FB community in solving the problem of selling an item with “checkout with shipping” (Exhibit C)
I received an answer from a Kristyna"FB team” Exhibit C and she gave me the phone number 1-888-482-4424 for FB Help and Support
Exhibit F confirms that the request for help was posted in the FB Help Center
Oct 7, 2019 3:18pm
Received “A New Reply from Facebook Community” giving me the phone number 1-888-482-4424 will tell me “How to Set Up A Facebook Store with checkout” Exhibit A
Exhibit B is a screenshot showing where the email originated
From: Facebook ([email protected])
Mailed by: facebook.com
Signed by: facebook.com
10-8-2019
I called 1-888-482-4424 said they were the “Code Activiation Division” and explained how they needed to connect my selling of FB to their server and that the server would make the connection in order to sell “checkout with shipping” I think they guys name was Mike
NEXT STEP:
Transferred me to Ronnie Williams X 2211 Billing Manger (323-693-1699 X 2211) or it was someone calling himself Alex Cooper 323-693-1699 X8004. However, through the whole scam talked to both of them.
It was said I need a Steam Card from Walmart or any other store. I need one card for $50 to activate the transaction. I said I could not do it until 2:00 pm. He then asked me what time I had and I said 10:50 AM and he said that is the time I have 10:50 AM and I asked him where he was located and he said Menlo Park, California. (significant because he was calling from Facebook, Menlo Park, Ca, Facebook location)
When I got to Walmart call him. Called him at approximately 2:00 pm got one Steam card for $50. The person I was talking to at this time was Alex Cooper 1-323-693-1699 X1699.
However , he said he made a mistake I need three cards at $50 each and he was on a time server and had to complete the transaction before the server “timed out”. Gave him the card numbers but it failed and his computer timed out. I needed to do it over with 3 more cards, so I did and gave him the numbers. He said ”not to worry” Facebook at the last stage would refund all this money.
NEXT STEP:
At approximately 2:30 transferred to Ronnie Williams, Senior Manager FB Administration I think his phone number was 323-693-1699 X2773
He said I need to by 3 ebay cards for $100 each to pay for the service. I did that however when I returned he said he made a mistake and I need 6 more cards at $100 each. I said no way.
Said I wanted to know if they had a legal department and he said he would handle it. I aksed him for the address for the legal department and he gave me the Menlo address. Then I talked to a Steve Atkins same number but I believe extension 1496.
Told him I was not going to send any more money and that I would see them in court. He laughed and said “FB is too big to sue”. Told him this was not true, and he said I would lose my $550. If I did not finish the transaction with $600.00. I said no.
Then, he tried to bargain with me so I would not sue FB. He said if I gave him another $600 dollars
FB would give me the money back $1200 plus $200 for my trouble. He gave me a claim No. FBTC 11959 and it ended except for a few more call when they tried to convince them to send more money.
There also gave me this phone number 315-201-2773 this number was for me to send pictures of the cards I purchased. I did not.
I believe because FB has set up no direct help line but the only use of emails it allowed employees within FB to find this loop hole to defraud. I came to this conclusion because my contact with FB was through e mails to FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE INBOX and FACEBOOK COMMUNITY HELP CENTER which FB supports and recommends its use to solve problems using FB programs.
The clues were:
- E Mails were from FB
- FB Marketplace Merchant Inquiry Support Inbox recommended I use FB Community Help Center
- FB Community Help Center provided me with the phone number to FB Help and Support
- In various conversation with the scam artist there were clues that they were using loop holes in FB to defraud.