How to avoid scams on Vinted (as a seller and a buyer)
The golden rule for avoiding scams on Vinted fits in one sentence: everything happens inside the app, from the first message to the payment. Vinted will never contact you by SMS or WhatsApp, will never ask for your bank details by message, and no legitimate payment ever goes through an external link.
Scam number one: the fake payment link
The classic scenario on the seller side: a very impatient "buyer" writes to say the payment is ready and sends you a link (via Vinted message, SMS or e-mail) to "receive the money". The link mimics the Vinted page or a carrier's page and asks for your bank card details — supposedly to "credit" your account.
It is always a scam: on Vinted, you never need to enter your card to receive a payment. The money from a sale lands automatically in your Vinted wallet once the transaction is completed. Any page asking for your card "to receive money" is fraudulent.
The warning signs that should alert you immediately
- You are asked to continue the conversation outside Vinted (WhatsApp, e-mail, SMS).
- You are sent an external payment or "money reception" link.
- The profile is brand new, with no reviews, and the buyer is unusually impatient.
- You are asked for your bank details, a code received by SMS, or a copy of an identity document.
- "Customer service" contacts you by private message: Vinted does not work that way.
On the seller side: the specific traps
Beyond the fake payment link, be wary of buyers who want to pay "directly" (bank transfer, cash for an unplanned in-person handover): you lose the platform's protection. Also refuse requests to ship before the payment is confirmed — if the transaction does not show as paid in Vinted, do not send anything.
Another classic: the abusive dispute on delivery ("the item does not match"). Protect yourself upfront: sharp photos from every angle, an accurate description of the condition, and a photo of the parcel as you pack it. In a dispute, that evidence makes all the difference.
On the buyer side: check before paying
- Look at the reviews and the age of the seller's profile.
- Be wary of abnormally low prices on highly sought-after pieces: that is the classic bait.
- Ask for extra photos (label, serial number, flaws) before buying.
- Pay only through the Vinted buy button — never by bank transfer or external link.
What to do if you are targeted
If you receive a suspicious message: do not click any link, report the conversation to Vinted and block the profile. If you entered your card on a fake page, contact your bank immediately to block the card and change your Vinted password.
For active sellers with lots of conversations, centralising your messages helps you spot abnormal behaviour: Flipzer gathers your Vinted conversations in one place, which makes "off-pattern" messages (links, artificial urgency) easier to spot among genuine buyer enquiries.
Questions fréquentes
Does Vinted send payment links by message?
No, never. Payments go exclusively through the buy button in the app, and the money from a sale arrives automatically in your Vinted wallet. Any payment link received by message, SMS or e-mail is a scam.
Do you have to give your bank card to receive the money from a sale?
No. Receiving a payment on Vinted never requires entering a bank card. A page asking for your card "to credit your account" is fraudulent.
What if a buyer wants to chat on WhatsApp?
Refuse and stay in the Vinted messaging system. Moving off the platform is the first step of most scams: outside Vinted, you have no protection and no proof.
I clicked a fraudulent link, what should I do?
If you entered bank details, contact your bank immediately to block your card. Change your Vinted password, report the conversation and block the profile.
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