Is Vinted legit? Why so many Vinted scams start with leaving the app

Vinted continues to be one of the fastest-growing online markets for secondhand goods. In 2025 alone, it grew by 47% year over year, generating over $1 billion in annual revenue.

But putting all the financial achievements aside, is Vinted legit? And are there scams on Vinted? In this guide, we’ll examine Vinted scams, how they work, and ways to use the platform safely.

So, is Vinted legit?

Vinted is a legitimate online secondhand market founded in 2008 in Lithuania. It has over 100 million active users in more than 26 countries and handles around $12 billion in annual transactions. The platform uses a peer-to-peer model similar to eBay and TikTok Shop, where the sellers are individuals or small businesses.

In addition to the website, Vinted also has Android and iOS applications with millions of reviews, scoring 4.7/5 and 4.9/5 on both stores, respectively. Complaints about the platform itself are few and far between, with Vinted becoming a “household name” in Europe according to The Wall Street Journal, with plans to expand further into US markets.

Vinted does more than just pair buyers with sellers; it also provides the infrastructure for a safe interaction. It encrypts payments, holds seller funds, and offers Buyer Protection to eligible purchases, similar to larger online sellers like Temu and Shein.

How Vinted buyer protection works

With Buyer Protection, Vinted holds payments until a sale is confirmed by both the buyer and seller. For that, it charges a 5% + $0.70 fee. However, Buyer Protection only covers some purchases, including:

• Missing or lost deliveries
• Items arriving damaged
• Significantly misdescribed items

Here’s what it doesn’t cover:

• Payments processed outside of Vinted
• Damage after delivery
• Minor description inconsistencies

The buyer must submit the refund request within 2 days of encountering an issue. If not, your payment will be sent to the seller, and you’ll no longer be eligible for a refund.

Vinted seller protection 

Vinted also protects the sellers on the platform:

• Secure payments: Earnings are transferred to your Vinted Wallet after an order is completed.
• Shipping compensation: Any lost or damaged parcels using Vinted labels may qualify for reimbursement.
• Dispute support: Vinted internally reviews buyer claims and can reject unjustified refund claims.
• Seller privacy: There’s no need to share your banking or personal details with buyers.

Vinted fees: What buyers and sellers actually pay

As a buyer on Vinted, you’ll pay for shipping in addition to a mandatory Vinted fee, typically 5% of the item price plus $0.70. The price of the item is determined by the seller, and there are no app-wide discounts like Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales.

Sellers, meanwhile, don’t have to pay commissions to list their products. But you can purchase Item Bumps for greater visibility on the app. Bumps last between 3 and 7 days, with prices varying based on item value, duration, and location.

7 typical Vinted scams

These common scams on Vinted target buyers and sellers alike with everything from fake payment proofs to phishing links and misleading listings.

Phishing emails and fake Vinted websites

Vinted email scams aren’t always easy to spot. Many of them use fake domains that appear legitimate at first glance, like @vinted-verification.com or a user-login-vinted.com.

All legitimate emails come from @vinted.com, and official pages use vinted.com subdomains. In-app, you can verify Team Vinted messages by checking for a checkmark badge.

You should also be wary of specific types of emails, especially those that include payment verification, account suspension, and sale confirmation. Take the time to independently check these for fraud, preferably using Moonlock’s Scam Detector.

You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Moonlock and check all incoming messages and emails for the telltale signs of phishing scams by running them through the built-in Scam Detector.

Fake payment confirmation scams

Scammers send fabricated screenshots of payment confirmation, then pressure the seller to ship the items before the funds clear. The fake document might state, “Payment pending. Ship item to release funds” or “Vinted confirmed payment. Check your email.”

Always verify payment claims directly on Vinted, as a genuine sale will appear in your account’s transaction balance. A screenshot alone isn’t proof of payment, and never ship an item before receiving in-app confirmation.

Counterfeit items and account-farm sellers

Scammers might sometimes list counterfeit items as genuine designer goods at bargain prices. The listing itself might show images of the real item, but they are often stolen from elsewhere online.

These scams are usually from account farms using multiple profiles simultaneously to sell counterfeit goods and evade being banned by Vinted. Red flags to look out for include:

• Unusually low prices
• Reused photos
• Recent accounts with identical listings

Reverse-search images of high-value items. When contacting the seller, request to see the item’s original tag and serial number. In select European markets, Vinted offers a paid Item Verification service, but this isn’t available in the US.

False “item never arrived” disputes

Buyers looking to score a free item might claim an item as “not delivered” despite parcel tracking confirming delivery. As the seller, you should always do the following:

• Use a Vinted label for shipping tracking.
• Photograph the sealed parcel before shipping with the labels visible.
• Save drop-off and delivery confirmation receipts.

Buyers also risk being targeted by a similar scam, where a “seller” sends an empty or incorrect parcel. For your refund claim, film a continuous unboxing video to document the actual contents of the parcel, just in case.

Fake Vinted support scams

Vinted scammers don’t even have to be on the platform to target their victims. They can impersonate Vinted support agents through emails or text messages, claiming payment failures or suspended accounts.

They direct users to phishing websites designed to steal their login credentials or payment information. Verify all Vinted support requests directly through Vinted’s official Help Center and never click on links in emails or messages.

Item-swap and return abuse

When requesting to return an item, dishonest buyers may return a damaged or entirely different item to get their refund. Without proper evidence and documentation, it can be difficult to prove that this wasn’t the item initially sent.

Before shipping, photograph the item from multiple angles, including any serial numbers, unique marks, or existing flaws. Keep these photos on hand in the case of a return dispute.

False damage claims

Falsely claiming that an item arrived damaged is a common scam that some buyers do in order to keep the item and get a refund.

The best way to protect yourself from this scam as a seller is to be upfront about the item’s condition in the listing and keep extensive photographs of the item. These can all be presented as evidence if a fraudulent claim comes through Vinted.

Red flags checklist: Spot a Vinted scam before it happens

When browsing Vinted for your next secondhand find, you’re bound to come across a wide variety of scams and misleading listings. Use Moonlock’s Scam Detector to help you weed through suspicious product descriptions and messages. Try it now with a 7-day free trial.

Here are some common red flags to watch out for on Vinted:

• Requesting off-app payments, like PayPal or a bank transfer
• Requesting off-platform communication, like WhatsApp or Telegram
• Pressuring you to pay immediately
• Unrealistic prices, like designer bags for $20
• New profiles with no reviews or history
• Suspicious usernames containing random characters
• Stolen photos or stock images
• Requesting personal data like verification codes or banking details
• Sending unsolicited links and files
• Requesting positive reviews before the item is shipped

Payment and communication red flags

Scammers aim to void Vinted’s Buyer and Seller protections by directing you away from the platform. Watch out for:

• Off-platform payments: Requests to pay via bank transfer, PayPal, or cryptocurrency instead of through Vinted itself
• External chats: Pressuring you to continue the conversation on WhatsApp, Telegram, or Instagram
• Unsolicited links: Sending you fake checkout pages, delivery tracking, or payment verification pages
• Sensitive information: Pressuring you for verification codes, card numbers, or unnecessary identity documents
• Urgency: Threats of account suspension or canceling orders unless you act immediately

Seller and listing red flags

There are usually many warning signs surrounding a fraudulent listing that you can identify before you even click, such as:

• Very low prices: A designer handbag in excellent condition listed for under $50
• New accounts: Profiles with no reviews or sales history
• Suspicious usernames: Look out for random characters or attempts to impersonate established sellers
• Stolen photos: Using stock images or images copied from other listings or platforms
• Photo refusal: The seller refusing to provide additional photos or videos of the listed item

Buyer and transaction red flags

Buyers can also be scammers on Vinted, manipulating transactions and submitting fake refund claims. Look out for:

• Last-minute changes: Requesting items be sent to a different address than the one in the Vinted order
• Unusual payment claims: Buyers insisting the payment is pending until you ship their order
• Suspicious return requests: Demands for refunds without evidence of item non-delivery or damage
• Frequent changes: Buyers repeatedly changing agreed-upon transaction details

After a Vinted scam: Report the fraud and lock down your account

If you suspect you’ve fallen victim to a Vinted scam, act quickly:

• Save evidence: Take screenshots of the listing, messages, receipts, and tracking information.
• Contact your bank: Dispute the payment and freeze any compromised cards.
• Report the fraud: File a complaint with the FTC on their official website.

As for reporting the scam to Vinted, you only have 2 days to submit a claim to be eligible for Vinted scam protections:

• Go to your profile on Vinted and press “My orders.”
• Press the “i” icon, then Help.

If you suspect the scammer was targeting your Vinted account specifically, you need to secure your account to avoid losing it. Change your password, enable 2-factor authentication, and remove any unfamiliar device under Settings.

Where to report Vinted scams and suspicious activity

If you have had an experience with a Vinted scam, reporting it can help prevent it from happening again to other people through:

• Vinted: Report the user and listing through the app
• FTC: Submit a fraud complaint
• FBI: Report online fraud at IC3.gov
• Bank: Report the latest payment as fraudulent and request a chargeback

What to know about Vinted scams, seller safety, and refunds

Here’s a quick summary of everything you need to know about Vinted’s safeguards, Buyer and Seller Protections, and common risks on the platform.

Sites like Vinted and Etsy are a great and safe way to find your next secondhand purchase at an affordable price. But Vinted scams can put your money and personal information at risk.

So, is Vinted a legit website? Yes, but using it comes with all the typical risks associated with shopping. That’s not to say you shouldn’t use Vinted altogether. Just make sure you keep all conversations and transactions within the platform, and report anything suspicious promptly.

This is an independent publication, and it has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Vinted Limited. Vinted is a trademark of Vinted Limited.