I put my kid’s $10 toy on Facebook Marketplace – and it led to one of the most bizarre exchanges I’ve ever had: ‘Is this some kind of scam?’
A mother was left scratching her head after getting a strange response from a “grandma” who wanted to buy a $10 toy from her on Facebook Marketplace.
Katie from Calgary, Canada, was getting rid of some things her one-year-old daughter had outgrown and listed an “activity center” on the online marketplace for $10.
She started talking to a woman who claimed to be a grandmother buying the toy for her new grandchild, but delayed picking it up because her husband of more than 50 years wanted to file for divorce.
Katie thought she would give the toy to the woman for free out of sympathy, but her husband accused the buyer of scamming the mother by making up a sob story to get the item for free.
People online were divided over whether the ‘grandmother’ was scamming Katie and shared suggestions on how to respond.
Scroll down for video
Mum Katie (pictured) tried to sell her daughter’s old toys on the Facebook marketplace. A buyer postponed collection because her husband suddenly filed for divorce
“My husband thinks I’m getting scammed on Facebook Marketplace,” Katie said in a TikTok clip.
She explained that she is getting rid of a lot of items that her young daughter no longer needs and listed the activity center on Marktplaats for the modest price of $10.
“I’m pretty sure these retail for hundreds of dollars brand new, so I thought it was a bargain,” the mother said.
“This really sweet woman messages me and she says, ‘I’m a grandma and I would like to buy this for my brand new grandbaby.’
Katie was touched by the ‘kind’ gesture and they both arranged a time for the grandmother to collect the item.
“Then I realized this morning that she would come right away when my baby was napping and that’s an hour a day that I have to myself so I don’t risk waking the baby,” she explained.
“So I wrote her and said, ‘Look, is it cool if we just do a contactless exchange?’ I’ll leave the thing on the sidewalk and you can just leave the money.’
Katie also left a note on the item in case the woman had missed her message before she came to collect it, but her response left Katie stunned.
Katie wanted to give the woman the $10 item for free, but her husband accuses the buyer of making up a story to cheat her out of the price
‘Can we do it tomorrow now? My husband just filed for divorce and I am shocked. I’m 66! And we have been together since we were 13 years old,” the woman wrote.
“It’s obviously not funny if it’s true, and my first thought is that this is so sad that I just have to give her this thing,” Katie said.
“My husband says, no, she’s totally cheating on you, she’s trying to get this thing for free and she’s making you work.”
Katie describes herself as “forever an optimist” and thought there was “no way” someone would try to scam her out of just $10.
‘My husband is convinced, because he is very cynical, that this is her plan and that there is no divorce. He says, ‘She’s probably not even a grandma,'” she said.
‘Is he right? Am I being scammed? Am I falling for it?’
Viewers were quick to share their thoughts, with many agreeing with Katie’s husband and warning her to proceed with caution.
‘I’m with your husband. “I’ve seen people give so much extra information when they miss an appointment, and then ask to pay less or never come,” one woman said.
“My spidey sense is definitely tingling. But I’ve been scammed before and now I don’t trust anyone anymore,” wrote another.
“I literally got scammed the same way. They said they were a grandmother. They wanted to buy it for the grandkids but turned around and sold it for a high price,” a third added.
Others were not so skeptical, saying the woman might be “sincere” but a bit of an “oversharer.”
“As a child of a boomer… people in their 60s and 70s can be notorious for sharing too much with strangers,” one viewer responded.
‘In my opinion she is sincere. Most likely she was looking for someone to talk to or express her condolences about her marriage,” said a second.
“Maybe she just doesn’t have anyone to talk to. Don’t stop being a good person just because others may not be. Give it to her,” someone else chimed in.
Some offered suggestions on how Katie should respond to further investigate the buyer’s situation.
“I would just respond, ‘I’m so sorry.’ If you are ready, just contact us and we can make the exchange.” Just see where it goes,” one woman suggested.
‘I always sniff the other person’s profile to see if they are real. if it’s a brand new blank bill I’d be skeptical,” another warned.