Key takeaways
- As a buyer, see the item and pay on the spot, or use the platform’s protected payment.
- As a seller, never click a link to “receive” money and never share card details or codes.
- A price far below market, pressure to decide fast, or a request to move off the platform are red flags.
- If it happens, keep the ad, the conversation and the payment proof, and report the account.
Classified-ad sites and social marketplaces make buying and selling second-hand easy, which is exactly why scammers like them. The tricks are surprisingly similar from one country and one platform to another. Knowing them takes the risk down to almost nothing.
Fake seller scams
- Advance payment: an attractive item, a seller “abroad” or “unable to meet”, who asks for a transfer or deposit and then disappears.
- Fake shipping: the seller insists on a delivery company you don’t know, with a payment link to a lookalike site.
- Rental scams: a flat at a great price, photos copied from elsewhere, a deposit requested before any visit.
- Counterfeits and swaps: the item shown isn’t the item delivered, or the box contains something else.
Fake buyer scams
- Payment link: the “buyer” says they’ve paid through the platform or a courier and sends you a link to “receive” the money. The page asks for your card details or a code.
- Overpayment: they “accidentally” pay too much and ask you to refund the difference; the original payment later bounces.
- Fake confirmation: a screenshot or email showing a transfer that never happened.
You never need to enter your card details or a code to receive money. Any page that asks for this is a scam.
Red flags
- A price far below the market.
- Urgency: “many people are interested, pay now to reserve it”.
- A request to continue on WhatsApp or by email, outside the platform.
- Refusal to meet or to video call to show the item.
- A brand-new account with no reviews, or reviews that look copied.
Safe habits
Meet in a public, busy place (some police stations offer safe exchange zones), check the item before paying, and pay on the spot. For delivery, use the platform’s own protected payment, never an outside link. As a seller, only hand over the item once money has really arrived in your account, checked in your banking app, not through an email or screenshot.
If you’ve been scammed
- Take screenshots of the ad, the seller’s profile and the whole conversation before they’re deleted.
- Call your bank if you paid by card or transfer (see /blog/bank-card-fraud-what-to-do/).
- Report the account to the platform.
- File a report with the police or your national fraud service (see /blog/how-to-report-an-online-scam/).
Chameleon AI can hold these screenshots as an incident with a written description, fingerprinted and encrypted on your device, and prepare a factual timeline for your complaint.
Frequently asked questions
Is paying by bank transfer to a private seller safe?
It’s risky, because transfers are hard to reverse. Prefer paying in person after checking the item, or the platform’s protected payment that only releases money after delivery.
The buyer sent a courier link to collect payment. Is that normal?
No. It’s one of the most common scams. Payments from a buyer arrive in your bank account or the platform wallet without you entering anything.
Can the platform refund me?
Only if you used its protected payment system. Payments made outside the platform are usually not covered.
General information to help you get organised, not legal advice. Procedures and numbers can change: confirm them with the office concerned, and in danger call your local emergency number first.
