Status: 04/21/2023 2:48 p.m
Whether clothing, toys or furniture: classifieds portals are popular, even with scammers. They not only target buyers, but also sellers. What should you pay attention to?
The Lower Saxony consumer center warns of a scam when selling on classifieds portals. The case: A consumer put two tickets up for sale on eBay classifieds. An interested party came forward who wanted to use the “Pay safely” option to complete the purchase. The seller received an SMS that the items had been paid for and that she had to confirm receipt of payment via a link. The link led to a fake website that looked very similar to the original site. There she entered her credit card details to receive the money, but this triggered a debit of 3,000 euros.
Pay securely: Only use the portal’s message function
“Most people don’t think of the risk of fraud when they think of ‘pay securely’. After all, the function also offers buyer and seller protection. And so many fall into the smishing trap,” says Ann-Katrin Fornika, advisor to the Lower Saxony Consumer Center in Oldenburg. What is important with this payment method, however, is that the function takes place exclusively via the news function of the classifieds portal. For this reason, Fornika advises that links in e-mails or text messages should not be clicked in the first place, so as not to disclose any data.
Tips for safe selling
“Sellers should always determine the payment method themselves,” recommends the consultant. In this way, they can calmly deal with the correct procedure. You play it safe if the sales item is always picked up against cash payment. “But if you want to ship your item, you should definitely use a secure payment method with buyer and seller protection,” says Fornika. In addition, the shipment should be insured and tracked. This is the only way that any claims can be asserted later.
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