Charissa Procos shared a painful and deeply personal warning. She unknowingly accepted counterfeit cash while selling her cell phone on Facebook Marketplace. An incident that has left her financially strained ahead of the festive season.

Procos said she hesitated to speak publicly about the ordeal because she felt dumb for being scammed, but ultimately chose to share her story in the hope that it might protect someone else.

According to her, she took every precaution she could think of to avoid being tricked. “I was being extra cautious. I placed a sticker on the phone to make sure it couldn’t be swapped out. The money was shown to us. They even showed us the watermarks and counted it in front of me.”

Read more: Community group chats targeted by scammers

The buyer also went to great lengths to appear trustworthy. “The guy seemed genuine. He even showed me pictures of his children, but it was all a ruse.”

Procos only realised later that the cash she received was fake. The emotional and financial impact has been devastating.

“I’m so devastated, not just because I lost the phone, but because I was counting on that money for Christmas gifts, rent, and honestly just to get through the month… I’m left empty-handed.”

She described this year as really tough, and said incidents like this make an already difficult festive season even harder to navigate.

Despite the setback, Procos is trying to remain hopeful.

“I’m trying to stay positive and remind myself that there are still good people out there. If you’ve ever been through something like this, you’ll know how horrible it feels. I’m sharing this, just in case it helps someone else be more careful.”

She also had a strong message for those who prey on vulnerable people during the holidays, quoting Proverbs 20:17. “Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.”

Also read: Fourways woman who turned R20 into R8 000 at 19 fights to quit gambling

Procos wishes the community a safe and gentle festive season, while asking residents to keep her in their thoughts as she tries to recover from the loss.

How to avoid scammers on Facebook Marketplace:

• Never accept cash without checking it with a UV light or counterfeit detection pen. Watermarks and feel tests can be faked.

• Avoid completing transactions in isolated areas. Meet in public places with cameras, preferably inside a mall or at a police station’s safe zone.

• Bring a friend or family member with you. There is safety in numbers, and scammers are less likely to attempt a con when you’re not alone.

• Beware of buyers who rush you. Scammers often create urgency or pressure to discourage careful checking.

• Trust your gut if a buyer over-explains or appears overly friendly too quickly. Emotional manipulation is part of many scams.

• Do not hand over the item until you have verified payment. For cash, check every note individually. For EFTs, wait until the money reflects in your account, not when you receive a payment notification.

• Screenshot conversations and profiles. If something does go wrong, these help with reporting the scam.

• Report suspicious buyers immediately. This helps protect others on the platform.

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