Man Selling TV On FB Marketplace Not Prepared For Text He Receives From Buyer: ‘Scammer’

Facebook Marketplace has become a popular resource for ditching or acquiring used items, but not every meet-up goes 100% smoothly—as a seller found out.

The original poster (OP), Reddit user Tinybones31, appealed for online verdicts on Jan. 19 as to whether they were in the wrong for “letting” the person who just bought their television break it, despite their warnings.

‘I asked her four times’

According to the OP’s post, which has racked up 4,200 upvotes, the 55-inch TV they have been trying to sell didn’t have a scratch on it the morning they and their partner loaded it into their vehicle to meet a buyer via Facebook.

The OP did indeed sell the TV to this woman, they noted. A problem, however, arose after she shoved her new possession face-down into the back of her auto that had a car seat in it.

“I asked her at least four times if she needed/wanted my help and she repeatedly told me NO,” the OP told Redditors.

In the car, the OP and their partner lamented that this buyer had just broken, “The screen of the perfectly good TV.”

That leads to the accusatory message the OP received not long after.

“They texted me and told me the screen was broken,” the OP wrote, “And I replied with ‘The screen wasn’t broken when we gave it to you so [I don’t know] what to tell you.

‘Called me a scammer’

“‘I used it this morning. I transported [it] to you, screen-up to make sure it didn’t touch anything or get broken’.”

The OP went on: “They called me a scammer, hurting for money, dishonest [and] said they were going to call the police on me if I didn’t give them their money back, that they had my license plate and was going to blast me on [Facebook].

“I feel like I did my part to make sure the TV got to them safely and I tried to help her several times and got rejected.”

One of the various Reddit users who backed the OP reassuringly replied: “They know they broke it, they just hoped by threatening you they’d get their money back.

“Don’t spend more time worrying about bullies you’ll likely never see again.”

A second commented: “You offered to help multiple times and she declined all. You might have vocalized that the screen should be facing upwards, but selling stuff online is weird enough, you never know how the person will react. She might have gotten offended.”

Another supporter considered that, “If I had been in your position, I might’ve tried to get a couple pics of how she was loading it into her car to cover yourself in just this type of situation.”

To that particular user, the OP responded: “I’m definitely going to if this happens again.”

Meanwhile, a different user felt there was blame to go around: “You both should have stopped her and said, ‘No, screen up or you’ll ruin it.’ Instead, you stood there watching her ruin it.

“But she should have realized she ruined it and not come after you so trashily.”

Another user also critiqued the OP, but for how they transported the TV to begin with: “So we [don’t] know who broke it, because both parties transported it wrong.”

Marketplace, which was launched in 2016, has more than a billion monthly active users and is the second most popular online site for secondhand goods, according to The New York Times.

‘Best bet’

Electronics are among the “best” things to sell on Marketplace, as per Homeowner.com.

In general, though—for those hoping to avoid their own TV transportation drama—Moving.com offers suggestions on transporting a flat screen, including how boxing it up or using moving blankets is advised, and that the “best bet” is to “keep it propped up, instead of laying it down.”

Newsweek contacted Tinybones31 for comment via Reddit.

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