I was left £400 out of pocket after thieves tricked me during a Facebook Marketplace sale on my own doorstep
A man says he was left £400 out of pocket after thieves tricked him during a Facebook Marketplace sale on his own doorstep.
Harry Kendal, 28, advertised his iPhone 15 Pro online, agreeing a cash sale with a buyer who turned up at his home. When a couple arrived at his home and handed over what appeared to be £400 in £20 notes before walking away with the phone, Harry says her later realised the cash was counterfeit.
Footage shows the couple arriving at the property in Hattersley on January 29, inspecting the phone and handing over cash. Moments after the exchange, the couple vanished - leaving Harry stunned when his partner spotted that every note carried the same serial number.
He said: "I've listed things for sale on Facebook many times and never had an issue. But this was the one time that I thought something wasn't right. The profile that contacted me had no picture and only one friend."
The project supervisor said he noticed something was off before opening the door, after spotting the pair on his Ring doorbell. He said: "They were walking up and down the street and I thought they must be lost. It kind of looked a bit off, it didn't look right."
Harry said the man inspected the phone once he came to the door, while the woman handed over the cash. He added: "I counted it and it was all there. At first glance, it looked real. It was only after I'd gone in to speak to my partner that she said it might not be real.
"She works in retail, so she's handling cash every day. She saw all of the serial numbers were the same."
Harry ran outside but it was too late. The devastated seller immediately contacted police and handed over the clear doorbell images. He said: "The pictures that I've got of them are clear as day."
Harry said the alleged theft hit especially hard as he prepares to tie the knot. He said: "I felt hard done by. I'm a hard-working man and an honest guy - it was just so brazen the way they came along and took something I'd worked for.
"I'm getting married soon, so any money helps. But it's the principle that has annoyed me. It has put me off selling things online. It makes you lose your faith in humanity."
His phone supplier has since blocked the handset. Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the incident has been reported.