Facebook Marketplace trust signals, explained.

Facebook Marketplace trust signals are the visible cues that tell a buyer or seller you're a real, safe person to transact with. They include: a real profile photo (not a logo, cartoon, or default avatar), account age (Facebook weights accounts older than 6 months heavily), a filled-out profile with real friends and post history, a verified phone number, past Marketplace ratings and buyer/seller reviews, mutual friends in common, and membership in local community groups.

A single trust signal is any one of the individual reputation cues Facebook shows on your profile or listing — a review, a verified phone, account age, a mutual friend, a community group badge. Facebook aggregates them behind the scenes into an implicit trustworthiness score that affects how prominently your listings appear and whether buyers message you.

'No trust signals' means Facebook can't find enough reputation data on the profile to vouch for it. Typical causes: brand-new account (<30 days), no profile photo or a stock/default image, zero past Marketplace transactions or reviews, no mutual friends with the viewer, and no verified phone number. It's not an accusation of fraud — it's an information gap. Buyers see the warning and message the seller much less often.

Fast wins in order: (1) add a clear, recent photo of your actual face, (2) verify your phone number in Settings → Personal Info, (3) fill out your city and workplace, (4) join 3–5 local community/buy-sell groups in your area, (5) complete one small in-person transaction and ask the buyer for a rating, (6) keep your response rate above 90% by replying within an hour. Most sellers see the 'no trust signals' warning disappear within 2–3 completed transactions.

They're a strong first filter but not a guarantee. Scammers can age accounts, add photos and buy verified numbers. Use trust signals as a starting point, then verify: request a live video call before paying, insist on cash on delivery in a public place, never wire money or pay via gift cards, and reverse-image-search the listing photos. Legitimate sellers accept all of these without complaint.