# Vinted scams — how to recognize a scammer and avoid losing money The safest rule on Vinted is: do not move the conversation outside the app and do not open payment or shipping links received in a message. Payments and purchases should remain within the Vinted system. > Updated: 2026-10-28 · Damian Jabłoński, Łowca (lowca-okazji.com) · https://lowca-okazji.com/en/pomoc/vinted-scams-how-to-recognize-and-what-to-do ## First check where the conversation and payment are taking place The safest rule on Vinted is: **do not move the conversation outside the app and do not open payment or shipping links received in a message**. Payments and purchases should remain within the Vinted system. A request to contact someone through WhatsApp, text message, a phone number or an external payment page is a warning sign. A scammer may try to take over your login details or card information, or convince you to approve a transaction you did not plan to make. You do not have to continue the conversation just because the other person claims that it will be faster. In a safe transaction, purchase and payment information is available in the Vinted app. ## Vinted scams targeting sellers A fake buyer may start by asking for your phone number. The conversation then moves to a messenger app or text messages, where it is easier to send a fake notification and harder to verify it in the context of the transaction. **Rule:** do not provide your phone number and do not move the conversation outside Vinted. If the buyer wants to complete the purchase, they should do so within the Vinted system. Another scheme involves sending a message about an alleged payment. The seller is told that the buyer has paid but must click a button to receive the money or confirm the transaction. Such a message may lead to a page impersonating Vinted. **Rule:** do not confirm a payment through a link in a message. Check the transaction status only in the Vinted app. A scammer may also claim that the system requires card details to accept money for a sold item. The pressure and unusual procedure alone should stop the transaction. **Rule:** do not enter card details or login details on a page opened from a message. If in doubt, end the conversation and report it on Vinted. ## Vinted scams targeting buyers A buyer may receive a link to an alleged payment page, shipping confirmation or delivery option. The address and appearance of the page may resemble Vinted, but this does not mean that the page belongs to the service. **Rule:** do not pay through a link sent in a message. Start and pay for the purchase in the Vinted app. The seller may insist on contact through WhatsApp, text messages or direct messages. They often justify this with a lower price, faster shipping or a problem with the app. Moving the conversation outside Vinted makes it harder to verify the transaction in one place. **Rule:** do not send money outside the Vinted system, even if the seller promises an additional benefit. An item that never arrives after payment is also a risk. A lack of shipping, no response or a request for another payment is not a reason to transfer more money. **Rule:** keep the transaction information and report the problem on Vinted using the features available with the purchase. ## What to do after receiving a suspicious message Before making a payment, follow this simple procedure: 1. Do not click the link or download an attachment from the message. 2. Do not provide card details, login details, authorization codes or your phone number. 3. Do not continue the conversation outside Vinted. 4. Keep the messages, account name, listing description and transaction information. 5. Use the reporting feature available on Vinted for a suspicious conversation or listing. If no payment has been made yet, it is best to end contact and take no further steps. You do not need to convince the other person that their behavior is suspicious. If the payment has been made, do not send more money and do not confirm receipt of an item you have not received. Report the problem with the transaction on Vinted. If you entered card details or login details on a suspicious page, also contact your bank and secure your account. ## How to recognize a scammer on Vinted before a transaction A single sign does not prove that a scam is taking place, but several signs at once should stop the transaction. Look out for: - haste and pressure to make an immediate decision; - a request to talk through WhatsApp, text messages or another app; - a request for your phone number without a clear transaction-related reason; - a payment, shipping or confirmation link that appears in a message; - pressure to click a link or confirm a payment outside Vinted; - a claim that payment or shipping requires an additional fee outside the Vinted system; - inconsistent information about the purchase, payment or delivery method; - avoiding the purchasing features available in the app. The most important check is simple: verify that the transaction exists in the Vinted app and that the payment is made within its system. Do not treat a screenshot or a message from the other person as proof of payment. ## When Łowca is not needed Łowca does not replace the rules for a safe transaction on Vinted. It cannot reliably determine whether a seller is honest or whether a received link is safe. For a single purchase on Vinted, it is enough to use the protection and payment features available in the app, keep the conversation within the service and report suspicious messages. No listing alert removes the need to check the transaction yourself before paying. ## Where Łowca can help when looking for listings Łowca monitors Vinted as well as OLX, Allegro Lokalnie, Sprzedajemy, Otomoto, Otomoto (parts) and Otodom. It may mark listings as carrying increased risk and move them to a separate **“check carefully”** section. This mark is a prompt for additional verification, not confirmation of a scam. Łowca does not guarantee that a listing is safe, that the seller is honest or that the item will be shipped. Payment and contact rules still need to be followed directly on Vinted. ## Frequently asked questions ### How can I recognize a scammer on Vinted? Warning signs include haste, a request to contact someone outside Vinted, a request for your phone number and a payment or shipping link. Payment and the purchase should take place within the Vinted system. ### Why does a buyer on Vinted ask for my phone number? A request for your phone number may be intended to move the conversation outside Vinted and send a fake notification or link. You do not need to provide your phone number to complete a purchase within the Vinted system. ### What should I do if I receive a payment link outside Vinted? Do not open the link, provide any details or confirm the payment. Keep the message, end the conversation outside Vinted and report it on the service. ### Should payment for a Vinted purchase take place outside the app? No. Payment for a Vinted purchase should take place within the Vinted system. A request for a bank transfer or card details on an external page is a warning sign. ### What should I do if an item from Vinted does not arrive? Do not send more money and do not confirm receipt. Report the problem with the transaction on Vinted and keep the messages and purchase information. ### Does Łowca check whether a Vinted seller is honest? No. Łowca may mark a listing as carrying increased risk and move it to the “check carefully” section, but it does not confirm the seller’s honesty or the safety of the transaction. --- Łowca monitors publicly available listings. We are not affiliated with any of the monitored marketplaces or with Ceneo.