Recognising a fake ad on Leboncoin and other sites between individuals
Household appliances, cars, high-tech, pets... Scammers are constantly posting fake ads on the internet to find victims to extort money from, in most cases with impunity. Before taking the decision to go any further, it's vital to analyse the ad carefully and pay attention to the small details.
Keep an eye out - and a good one. Scammers don't just wait for Internet users to publish classified ads before approaching them, but maximise their chances of catching a big fish to scam by being even more proactive. They will therefore post a large number of fake ads to build up a pool of potential victims.
Find out how to protect yourself on Leboncoin in less than 3 minutes by watching our video :
Want to find out more? Read the full article below
(Overly) tempting offers
It's a fact that we're all tempted by bargains, and we may even believe that when faced with the deal of the century, we're smarter than the seller who has no idea of the real value of what he's selling. This feeling of superiority is the best way to get ripped off.
Even if you don't feel that way, no-one would ever sell a smartphone in (very) good condition at knock-down prices, or a car with low mileage for less than it's worth, or give away a pure-bred animal (dog, cat, parrot, etc.) like that! In fact, we have a topic on pet scams, which will make you realise that you've already seen plenty of them, especially on Facebook shopping groups.
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a "golden deal" that goes beyond common sense.
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Overly precise instructions
If the advert is too prescriptive, particularly with regard to means of payment, don't bother. The majority of legitimate ads do not address this point, which is defined between buyer and seller during negotiations. Go to the Avoid scams category to identify the various payment scams.
The discussion will be decisive
If you're still talking to the seller by email, take a look at our other articles on payment scams to make sure you don't get taken in! A little extra tip: some people, in too much of a hurry or not particularly clever, have a different name from the one on their email. For example, the person says his name is John Smith and his email address is "[email protected]".
Don't take any risks by using a secure payment method between private individuals
By insisting on using a payment solution like Obvy, which has been specially designed to secure transactions between private individuals, you can be sure of foolproof protection. Even if discussions have already started, insist on being paid using our payment method. If the person you are dealing with is acting in good faith, they will have no problem. If they refuse outright, you can start to get suspicious.