[header] How to avoid facebook marketplace scams [title] Review the community standards of the facebook marketplace. [step] The community standards detail responsible buying and selling practices, as well as list items that are prohibited for sale in the marketplace. [substeps] Scammers may post a listing for items that are prohibited under marketplace guidelines, pocketing your cash and never completing the transaction. 
Scammers also will often request payment or delivery of an item in a way that is outside the general guidelines. Using alternative means of payment or delivery gives you fewer protections as a buyer, which is why scammers try to steer you toward these methods.