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Scams on OfferUp, like all the other online marketplaces that you have heard about or have used, can be dangerous.
You need to be extremely careful when you are using the service of any online marketplaces, especially the ones that offer you the opportunity to make money by buying and selling stuff.
The scam artists can be extremely cunning and they will find any chance they can to scam their potential victims.
In this article, we will cover some of the most common scams on OfferUp and we will also give you some tips on how to avoid them.
What is OfferUp?
The OfferUp app was released in 2011 and has since acquired almost 100 million downloads. The app is available on iOS and Android devices.
OfferUp connects people who have items for sale with people who want to buy those items. In other words, it is an app that connects buyers with sellers.
Most of the time, OfferUp will have a rating system for both the buyer and seller which can help to avoid scammers from using the site. This rating system will also let you know the quality of the items being sold on the site.
So, if you see some negative reviews written about a seller on OfferUp, it may not necessarily be a scammer trying to get you to buy their product. It may be just a bad customer experience that they had with the person selling them their product.
Even though there are bad experiences from time to time with sellers on OfferUp, most of them tend to leave very good feedback for their buyers as well.
So it is worth taking a look at all of the positive feedback as well before deciding whether or not you should purchase something from an individual on OfferUp.
What are the Most Common Scams on OfferUp?
There are some slim chances that you will encounter a scammer while you are on OfferUp, especially if you’re looking to buy something in bulk or need to sell something in a hurry.
Here is a few of them:
Fake Accounts
If you’re buying something, there’s a high chance that a scammer will set up an account under the name of a real person to make it look more believable. It’s even more likely that they’ll use the same email address.
A good way to find out if it’s a fake account is to check out the activity of the seller. If they have zero reviews or if they have no reviews, then it might be an imposter.
A Quick Deal For Cheap Items
While this scam isn’t too common on OfferUp (it does happen), some people set up an account with a cheap item and try to make a quick deal with a buyer.
For example, if the buyer is looking for an iPad for under $200, the scammer will offer them one for $200. The scammer then takes the money from the buyer and never sends the item.
There’s not much you can do about this since it’s outside of OfferUp’s control, but if you think that you’re about to be scammed, take screenshots of their profile and contact OfferUp support immediately.
Hidden Fees And ‘Handling Fees’
A common scam on OfferUp is when a seller tries to charge extra fees after the sale is complete. They’ll send the item to your address and ask you to pay a certain amount of money before they send it back to them. These are often referred to as “handling fees”.
If they try to do this with something that they didn’t buy from you, then it’s most likely a scam.
They might also have hidden fees in their profile or try to set up multiple accounts on OfferUp to charge more money than they’re buying from you. If this happens, contact OfferUp support and make a report.
Fake Pictures & Low-Quality Products
A common scam on OfferUp is when a seller will post fake pictures of the product they’re selling. They might try to hide the true quality of the item, or they might try to set it up as a lower-quality product to charge you more.
If you suspect that the picture you’re looking at is fake, then contact OfferUp support and make a report. They can also help you out with this if they see that you’ve been scammed before.
Staged Shipping & Delivery Dates
If the seller says that they’ll send your item within a few days but it never arrives, then this is most likely a scam.
They likely have another buyer lined up for their item so that they can keep their money for themselves and sell it again later on.
The same thing goes for when you purchase an item from someone and never receive it, or if there are shipping issues along the way and your item never arrives at all. This could be a sign of a scammer trying to keep their money.
How Can I Avoid These Types of Scammers?
There are no surefire ways that you can protect yourself from these types of scammers but there are some things that you can do to protect yourself.
The first thing you can do is check the reviews of the seller on OfferUp before you send them any money. You should also try to read their profile and look at their transactions on OfferUp.
You will be able to see what they have sold and how much they have sold it for so that you can decide if it is worth buying from them.
Also, avoid paying through external money transfer methods. This way, you can make sure that the seller will not be able to scam you with your money.
Online Scammers are Common
As you can see, scammers are very common on OfferUp.
It’s best to avoid getting scammed by simply being careful and doing your research before making a purchase. If you are looking for a particular item, it is always a good idea to do some research and make sure that the seller has good reviews.
