Most scams on classifieds sites do not start with technology. They start by putting pressure on the other person. If you recognise the pattern, the scam falls apart in the first message.
1. A price far below the market
If a car or a phone is 40 percent below the average, that is not luck. It is bait. Compare five similar ads before you continue the conversation.
2. A request for an advance
“Send 100 KM so I can reserve it” is the most common sentence in these scams. Never pay for an item you have not seen.
3. Leaving the platform
If the other person immediately wants to talk in a messaging app and refuses a call, be suspicious. A conversation inside the platform stays on record and can be reported.
4. Asking for card details or an SMS code
No genuine buyer needs your card number, the CVV or a code from an SMS. That is an attempt to take the money, not a payment.
5. Artificial urgency
“I am leaving the country tonight”, “I have two other buyers” — pressure on time is there so you skip the checks. Calmly insist on a viewing and on paying after it.
What to do
End the conversation, keep screenshots and report the ad on the contact page. If money has already been sent, contact your bank and the police as soon as you can.
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