Vinted scam between private individuals ends well

It's no secret that scams are becoming increasingly common on classified ad sites for individuals. This weekend it was the online platform for selling and buying second-hand products and accessories, Vinted, that was targeted. A scammer tried the impossible.

"A bargain to be seized

A 24-year-old man was looking for a classified ads site on which to sell a Nintendo Switch home console. Naturally, he created an account on the second-hand fashion platform Vinted, which he felt was perfect for his needs. After creating his account, he prepared and posted his first ad, selling a Switch console for €200.

Brand new, the video games console produced by Nintendo is available for €329, and depending on the limited edition, it can go for around €400. So it was a bargain waiting to be snapped up! That's what a 20-year-old girl wanted to do. She quickly showed an interest in the property offered for sale by our seller. After a few exchanges on the Vinted messaging system, the young woman decided to buy the console.

It was too good to be true

That's when the scam began. Unexpectedly, the seller was in fact a swindler. Via the Vinted messaging system, he asked his contact not to be paid via the platform but to complete the transaction outside Vinted. Thanks to this, he could receive the money without having to send the famous Nintendo Switch in return.

Unsuspecting, the buyer was quickly convinced. The deal was too good to pass up. The 20-year-old followed her con artist's instructions until she had paid the amount due outside Vinted. Of course, once the young man had received the money, he never called our victim again, and of course never sent her the promised console!

The swindler was arrested

As soon as she realised the deception, the young woman did not give up and decided to follow the necessary procedures to win her case. She quickly went to the police station to lodge a complaint against the young man. The investigators quickly identified the scammer in a commune near Toulouse.

A few days later, police officers from the brigade territoriale de l'ouest toulousain succeeded in arresting the young swindler. They then took him into custody, during which time he admitted his guilt in the whole affair. He will shortly be brought before a judge to answer for his actions.

Buy your used consoles safely 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 at Obvy allows us to check the identity of the person with whom you are making the transaction, but it also allows you to test the product on receipt and certify its conformity. Only then is the money released and the seller can collect what is owed. The seller cannot be paid until the buyer has received the parcel.