Fake payment emails
The scammer sends an email that looks like it’s from Zelle, Venmo, PayPal or Cash App, saying the payment is “pending” until you upgrade to a business account, pay a fee or click a link. These emails are fake: none of these apps hold a payment until you pay something. Open the app yourself and check your balance. Never pay to “release” money.
Overpayment and “refund the difference”
A buyer “accidentally” sends too much and asks you to send the extra back. The original payment is fake or later reversed, and you lose what you sent. Never refund an overpayment; cancel the sale instead.
“Let’s talk by text” or “pay me outside the app”
On Poshmark, eBay, Mercari and Depop, you’re only protected if the sale and payment go through the platform. A buyer who wants to move to text messages, email or WhatsApp, or to pay by Zelle or PayPal Friends and Family, is usually trying to get round that protection.
Verification codes
A “buyer” asks you to read out a code sent to your phone “to prove you’re real”. That code lets them set up a Google Voice number or take over an account in your name. Never share a code sent to you.
Shipping scams
The buyer says they’ll send their own courier or a prepaid label, often to an address abroad, and asks you to pay a fee through a link. The link is fake. On the apps, use the platform’s own shipping; for local sales, ask the buyer to pick up in person.
Meeting buyers safely
- Meet in a busy public place, or have someone with you at home.
- Many police stations have a safe exchange zone in their parking lot or lobby.
- For cash, count it before handing over the item, and check large bills.
- For a payment app, check the money is in your account before the item leaves your hands.
If you’ve been scammed
Contact your bank straight away, report the buyer to the platform, and report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report online fraud to the FBI at ic3.gov, and to your local police.