Vinted is a popular marketplace where people can sell their unwanted goods. It started life as a clothes-selling app, but now you can sell anything from video game consoles to candles, as long as it’s second-hand.
Like all popular platforms, though, scammers have found ways to perpetrate fraud and steal from users. While Vinted is generally safe to use, here are four common Vinted scams and how to avoid them.
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How to Avoid Vinted Scams No. 1: Off-App Payments
Some sellers may say that they can’t accept payments via the app due to account issues. They’ll ask you to chat via Telegram or a similar service, and send bank details for you to make a transfer to.
The problem: Vinted doesn't require you to make a payment through a link sent by a seller, and buyers pay through Vinted at checkout. Vinted holds the payment until the order is completed after delivery.
The solution: Always stay in the app to make payments and use the options provided. If the seller can’t accept payment like that, simply avoid them.
No. 2: Fake Payment Links
You may receive an email that looks like a legitimate Vinted communication, asking you to pay for your goods. It may have a link to PayPal or another payment transfer service.
The problem: Vinted doesn’t ask for payments like this, and buyers always pay once they’ve received the goods and confirmed they’re okay, not before. These are scam emails sent by fake sellers trying to trick you into paying for items you will never receive.
The solution: Never click a suspicious link in an unsolicited email or message. Check the Vinted app to see if there are any notifications, and always pay through the Vinted checkout using the “Buy now” button.
No. 3: Counterfeit Goods
Some designer items are sold at prices that seem like a steal. That’s because they’re not real, and often the photo will be of a genuine Gucci or Versace item, but what arrives will be a cheap, poor-quality knock-off.
The problem: Buyers may be tricked into paying $100 for a $1,000 bag or piece of jewelry that turns out to be counterfeit and worth far less.
The solution: Be discerning. If a price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Check the average price for the item, and look for reviews of the seller. If the reviews are all very good but very similar or new, this is a red flag.
No. 4: Offering Large Payments
Sellers get scammed too. Fake buyers may say that their payment app only allows payments of $100, so can the seller send the difference back once it arrives?
The problem: The buyer will only send the money through a specific app, and the payment notification the seller receives is fake. If they send the difference back, they end up out of pocket, even if they don’t send the item anywhere.
The solution: Again, always make payments within the Vinted app and ignore requests to pay using third-party apps.
How to Avoid Vinted Scams: General Tips
You can apply the following tips to most online selling apps and services:
- If someone offers you way too much for an item, just ignore them. There’s no reason for anyone to do this.
- Stick to Vinted's rules around payments, and use Vinted's checkout rather than paying directly through a seller or third-party service
- Sellers, take pictures of your items before you send them and in the packaging to prove they’re in good condition as you send them. Some sellers recommend a “boxing video” where you record yourself packaging the item, to avoid refund scams where the buyer says the item was broken or in poor condition.
- Never chat “off app.” If someone won’t use the messaging service inside the Vinted app or website, this is a huge red flag.
For more advice on safely using apps like Vinted, sign up for Scam Detector’s Scam Alerts. Receive updates in your inbox on all types of online fraud, scams, and what to look out for.
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