Where these scams happen
Marketplace scams happen wherever people buy and sell from strangers: classified sites, social media selling groups, auction platforms and apps for second-hand goods. Delivery scams are related but work differently: they exploit the fact that almost everyone is expecting a parcel at some point. Both rely on speed, convenience and the difficulty of verifying a stranger.
Fake listings
In a fake listing, the item does not exist, or the seller does not own it. The usual signs are:
- A price well below normal for the item.
- Stolen photos, sometimes from a genuine advert elsewhere.
- A story explaining the bargain: a house move, a divorce, a relative’s belongings, a seller abroad.
- A reluctance to meet, show the item in a live video call or let you inspect it.
- A request to pay in advance, often by bank transfer, gift cards or a payment option that offers no buyer protection.
- A suggestion to move the conversation to private messages or email, away from the platform’s own tools.
Rental and vehicle listings are a frequent target because the amounts are large. A common version asks for a “deposit” to hold a property the scammer has never owned.
Some fake sellers also send a link to a “secure payment” or “courier” page that imitates the platform. That page exists only to collect card details or login information, which is why it helps to understand lookalike domains.
Overpayment tricks
When you are the seller, the risks flip. In an overpayment scam, a “buyer” pays more than the asking price, sometimes with a payment that looks genuine or a cheque, then asks you to refund the difference or pass money to a “shipping agent”. Later the original payment fails, is reversed or turns out to be fraudulent, and the refund you sent is gone.
The trap is that a payment appearing in your account is not always final. Bank transfers, cheques and card payments may be reversed or flagged after the money first appears. Be especially wary if:
- The buyer pays without asking any questions about the item.
- The amount is more than you asked.
- You are asked to send money anywhere, to anyone, as part of the sale.
- The buyer wants you to ship before the payment has fully cleared.
Other seller-side tricks include fake payment confirmation emails that look like they come from the platform or a payment service, and “buyers” who send a link to verify your account or receive funds. A real platform’s notices can be checked by logging in directly to the official site or app, not through a link in the message.
Bogus parcel notices
Fake delivery messages arrive by text, email or sometimes a phone call. They claim a parcel could not be delivered, a customs fee is due, an address is incomplete or a package is waiting for rescheduling. The link leads to a page that asks for a small payment, which is really a way to capture card details, or for login information. These texts are a common form of smishing attacks, and the email versions follow the pattern in phishing emails.
Telling signs include:
- You were not expecting anything, or the message does not match any order.
- The sender is vague about the item and uses a generic greeting.
- The fee is small, which makes it feel harmless.
- A tight deadline or threat that the parcel will be returned.
- A link address that is not the carrier’s normal domain.
Genuine carriers do sometimes text, so the message alone is not proof either way. A careful check is to ignore the link and go to the carrier’s official website or app, typing the address yourself, and enter the tracking number from your original order confirmation.
A related variation: the “brushing” and unrequested parcels
Some people receive parcels they never ordered. Reasons vary, and in some cases the sender is trying to generate fake reviews. This is generally not an immediate threat in itself, but it is a good reason to check your accounts and avoid scanning any QR code or visiting a link included in the package.
Safer habits for buyers
- Stay within the platform’s payment and messaging tools where they exist, since these often include some protection.
- Prefer payment methods that offer dispute rights, and be cautious with methods that behave like cash.
- Meet in a public place for collection, inspect the item and be wary of anyone who refuses.
- Search the seller’s history, but remember that reviews and profiles can be faked or hijacked.
- If something is “too good”, consider why. Often the answer is that it is not real.
Safer habits for sellers
- Confirm that money has actually and finally arrived in your own account, using your bank’s own app, before handing over goods.
- Never refund an overpayment; ask the buyer to cancel and pay the correct amount.
- Do not send verification codes you receive by text to a buyer. A code sent to your phone is meant for you only.
- Be careful sharing too much personal information in listings, since it feeds the profile scammers can use later. Using two-factor authentication on your marketplace account protects it if the password leaks.
If it goes wrong
Contact your bank or card provider quickly, report the listing or message to the platform and keep screenshots. The steps under scam recovery steps are relevant here; speed often matters, but results are not guaranteed.