Vinted sale of a Nintendo Switch goes wrong

Scams are not uncommon on sites that sell or buy new or used goods between private individuals. That's why it's important to be vigilant when making transactions on these platforms, because the slightest carelessness can cost you dearly. A few weeks ago, a man scammed a user of Vinted, an online platform for buying and selling second-hand goods and accessories.

"A good deal

A few weeks ago, near Toulouse, a young man posted an advert on Vinted claiming to be selling a Nintendo Switch, the hybrid video game console produced by Nintendo. Usually sold for €300 when new, or even more, the young man was prepared to sell his second-hand home console for €200 - a pretty attractive price.

In fact, a young 20-year-old buyer immediately took the bait. After a few exchanges on the message board of the second-hand products resale platform, an agreement was reached.

The young woman falls into the trap

The young woman decides to take the plunge and buy herself the home console she's been dreaming of. It's at this precise moment that the story gets complicated. The fake seller suggested that our victim make the payment and finalise the transaction outside Vinted to avoid the transaction fees. Without asking too many questions, the young woman accepted and proceeded to pay the amount due on an online payment site.

Obviously, after this action on her part, the young woman never received her Nintendo Switch or heard back from her scammer. At that moment, the young buyer realised that she had just been scammed.

The scam takes another turn

However, the young woman was able to react. She decided to lodge a complaint with the police station. Police officers from the west Toulouse territorial brigade quickly identified the suspect, arrested him a few days later and placed him in police custody. The suspect has admitted the charges against him and will shortly be brought before the courts to answer for his actions.

Secure your console purchases with Obvy

First of all, we would like to remind you that when a payment method is offered on any site, any proposal to bypass this payment method deserves your full attention. This is generally the work of criminals and is not a path you should take.

Choose Obvy for your transactions between private individuals. The system set up by Obvy not only allows you to check the identity of the person with whom you are making the transaction, but also to test the product on receipt and certify its conformity. Only then is the money released and the seller can collect what is owed.