These days, there's much more to Facebook than just poking your friends and sharing photos of your vacation. Facebook has grown to become a thriving and active marketplace. And like any marketplace, there are times when you need to get a refund for something you've purchased.
Unfortunately, the Facebook payment refund process isn't always easy to understand. How you go about getting your money back depends on what avenue you used to make your purchase.
Let's take a closer look at Facebook Messenger refunds, Facebook Marketplace refunds, and more.
Facebook Messenger Payment Refunds
If you've used Facebook Pay to send money in Messenger, Facebook cannot issue a refund.
According to Facebook's own guidance, there is no official method for getting a Messenger refund. In practice, you only have two options available to you:
- Ask the seller to return the money.
- Ask the seller to decline the payment.
This inflexible policy means Facebook Pay is not a recommended way to pay for items from a seller that you don't know personally. Stick to using the service for sending money to friends and family.
We've written about some of the best ways to send money to friends if you would like to learn about other options.
Refunds for Facebook Page Purchases
Facebook does not process refunds for purchases made on Pages. Instead, the responsibility falls on the seller. This means that you'll need to reach out and contact the person and hope they are amenable to your request.
So, if you have used Facebook's internal payment processing systems to make a purchase through a Facebook Page, here's how to contact the seller to try and get a refund:
- Click on your profile in the upper right-hand corner of Facebook and choose Settings and Privacy > Settings.
- Select Facebook Pay in the left-hand panel.
- Click on the item you want to be refunded.
- Choose Contact Seller.
- Fill in the popup form.
- Hit Send.
Refunds for Facebook Games and In-App Purchases
If you've paid for a game or an in-game item, you first need to be aware that it can take up to four hours for your item to be delivered to your account.
If you want a refund, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings > Payments.
- Click on the payment in question to make sure it's been processed.
- Open the receipt.
- Click Dispute and fill in the information.
You can always refund game charges purchased on your account by someone under the age of 18 or if you notice unidentified charges on your account.
Facebook Marketplace Returns Policy
Broadly speaking, Facebook takes no responsibility for the items sold in its Marketplace. The web is littered with stories from people who have received a defective item, only for the seller to delete the listing and remove all traces of the transaction. It is very much a case of "buyer beware".
That said, there is one situation in which Facebook might issue a Marketplace refund—if you used the onsite checkout feature. If you have, your item is covered under Facebook's Purchase Protection Policy. Facebook doesn't offer onsite checkout for all Marketplace items, nor is onsite checkout available in all countries.
Assuming you are eligible, you can start a refund process using Facebook's Purchase Protection if you didn't receive your order, you received damaged goods, if the seller didn't follow their own refund policy, or if the purchase was unauthorized.
Anecdotally, some buyers also appear to have had some success in getting Marketplace refunds if they used PayPal to send the money. Refer to PayPal's terms for more information.
Facebook Group Purchases
If you bought something in a specially designated "Buy and Sell Group", you are not covered by Facebook. The company cannot issue you a refund.
The decision to issue a refund lies directly with the seller. As such, make sure you do due diligence before committing to any purchase.
Get Refunds on Other Apps
Getting a refund for an online purchase can be a tricky process. Unsurprisingly, companies are normally less-than-willing to hand back money once they've got it.
If you used a certain app to make payment, it's worth reaching out to see if you can get a refund. You should also consider contacting your bank.
And remember, never send any money unless you have done as much due diligence as possible.
Stay Safe When Buying on Facebook
Given Facebook's massive user base, it is unsurprising that many scams and fake listings exist. If you are buying from a third-party, stick to people with good reputations in large groups.
And remember, if you need to collect a purchase in person, make sure you do so in a public place during daylight hours.