Scammed on Facebook or Marketplace? How to Get a Refund
Social selling scams are high-volume and fast-moving. The refund route depends entirely on how you paid, and the window on each option is short.
Last reviewed: August 2026
Act within the first 24 hours
- Call your bank or card issuer and report it as fraud, not a dispute with a trader
- Ask the bank to attempt a recall while funds may still sit in the receiving account
- Screenshot the listing, seller profile, advert and every message before it is deleted
- Report the seller and the listing to the platform
- File a report with Action Fraud (UK), Scamwatch/ReportCyber (AU) or PNP-ACG (PH)
If you paid by card
Raise a chargeback for goods or services not received. Provide the listing, the messages, proof of payment and evidence the seller has stopped responding. Credit card purchases above a certain value in the UK may attract additional statutory protection from the card provider.
If you paid by bank transfer
Ask for a formal APP fraud claim. Give the bank a clear factual account: what was advertised, what you were told, why you believed it, and what happened. Request a written final response — you need it to escalate.
If the bank refuses
Refusals often rely on an assertion that you ignored a warning or failed to make basic checks. Those decisions are frequently overturned by the ombudsman, particularly where the warning was generic, the account was newly opened, or the payment pattern was out of character. The ombudsman service is free and you normally have six months from the final response.
When the loss is much bigger
Marketplace approaches sometimes lead into investment offers, fake trading platforms or crypto transfers, and losses escalate quickly. Where that has happened, or where a professional adviser was involved along the way, there may be a substantial claim well beyond a refund request.
Free review
If the bank has refused you or the loss has grown beyond a single purchase, send us the details. We will tell you what can still be recovered and by which route.
Common questions
I paid by bank transfer for something that never arrived. Can I get it back?
Possibly. Being tricked into transferring money to a fake seller is authorised push payment fraud, and reimbursement rules require banks to consider refunding victims in most cases. Report it to your bank immediately and ask for a formal fraud claim, not just a complaint.
What if I paid using 'friends and family' on a payment app?
That removes the platform's buyer protection, which is exactly why scammers request it. You can still pursue a bank fraud claim and escalate to the ombudsman, and being pushed into that payment method is itself evidence of fraud.
Can I claim against the social media platform?
Claims against platforms are difficult and rarely the practical route. Focus on the payment: the bank, card issuer or e-wallet is regulated, reachable and has defined obligations to you.
The amounts are small. Is it worth pursuing?
For a single small loss, the free routes — bank claim then ombudsman — are usually the sensible limit. Where losses are repeated or substantial, or an adviser or professional was involved, a legal claim can become worthwhile.
Free, no-obligation case assessment
Tell us what happened and we will tell you honestly whether your loss is realistically recoverable. If it is not, we say so — there is no charge and no obligation to proceed.
Start your free assessment