Is This Seller Legit? How to Check Any Online Seller Before You Buy
Bought something online and not sure if the seller is real? Use our checklist to verify any online seller on marketplaces, social media, and independent websites before paying.
Online marketplace and social media seller scams cost consumers billions of dollars globally each year. Whether you're buying on Carousell, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Shopee, Gumtree, or an independent website, knowing how to verify a seller before you pay can save you from losing your money and never receiving your item.
Why seller scams are so common
Selling platforms have made it trivially easy to create a seller profile with fake information. A scammer can set up a convincing seller account in minutes, populate it with stolen product photos, offer attractive prices, collect payments, and disappear — often before the platform even detects the account is fraudulent.
Social media has made this even worse. Instagram shops, Facebook Marketplace listings, and TikTok Shop sellers face minimal verification requirements. A professional-looking Instagram page with a few hundred followers can be created and operational within an hour.
The most common seller scam patterns
The too-good-to-be-true price A product listed at 50-80% below market price. You pay, receive nothing, and the seller disappears. The most common version.
The advance payment scam Seller requires full payment before shipping. Once paid, they either don't ship or send a worthless substitute. Common on Carousell, Facebook Marketplace, and WhatsApp-based sellers.
The counterfeit goods scam You receive something, but it's a cheap fake of what was advertised. Particularly common with electronics, luxury goods, sneakers, and branded clothing.
The bait-and-switch You order a specific item, receive something entirely different and significantly cheaper. Seller argues that the description was accurate and refuses refund.
The off-platform payment scam Seller asks you to pay via bank transfer, PayNow, PayID, Venmo, or cryptocurrency instead of through the platform. This bypasses buyer protection entirely.
The fake escrow scam Seller suggests using a "trusted escrow service" that is actually controlled by the scammer. You send money to the "escrow", it's released to the scammer, and you receive nothing.
Platform-specific risks and protections
Carousell High risk for cash-on-delivery fraud and advance payment scams. Carousell offers CarouPay with buyer protection — only use this, never direct bank transfer. Meet sellers in person for high-value items.
Facebook Marketplace No buyer protection for most transactions. High risk of scams especially for electronics, tickets, and vehicles. Always meet in person and inspect before paying. Never pay by bank transfer in advance.
eBay Strong buyer protection through eBay Money Back Guarantee. Highest risk area is off-platform communication — sellers who ask you to email or WhatsApp them directly to "get a better price."
Shopee / Lazada Built-in escrow holds payment until you confirm receipt. Use this protection — never agree to pay outside the platform. Report sellers who ask for direct payment.
Instagram / TikTok Shops Minimal verification. High risk of counterfeit goods. Stick to verified sellers (blue tick) or brands you can independently verify. Use credit card for purchase protection.
Independent websites Highest risk category. Anyone can build a convincing online store in a day. Apply all verification steps in this guide before purchasing from any site you haven't used before.
How to verify any seller — step by step
Step 1 — Check their review history Look beyond the overall star rating. Read the actual reviews:
- Do they mention specific products or experiences, or are they generic ("Great seller! Fast delivery!")?
- Check the dates — a cluster of 5-star reviews all posted on the same day is a red flag
- Look for reviews mentioning problems — how did the seller respond?
- Search the seller name plus "scam" or "fake" on Google
Step 2 — Check how long they've been selling New accounts are higher risk. Most platforms show account creation date or "member since" information. A one-week-old account with 50 reviews is suspicious — reviews can be fabricated.
Step 3 — Verify product photos Reverse image search the product photos (right-click → "Search image" in Chrome, or upload to Google Images). If the photos appear on multiple different sites or are stock images, the seller may not actually have the product.
Step 4 — Check their return and refund policy Legitimate sellers have clear, specific return policies. Vague policies ("all sales final" or no policy stated) are red flags. For significant purchases, contact the seller before buying and ask a specific question — a scammer often won't respond or gives evasive answers.
Step 5 — Verify independent websites If buying from an independent online shop rather than a marketplace:
- Check the domain age using a WHOIS lookup — new domains are suspicious
- Look for a physical address and phone number you can verify
- Search for reviews on Trustpilot or Google Reviews
- Check if they're on Scampede's website checker
- Look for a secure checkout page and trusted payment processor
Step 6 — Check the payment method This is your most important protection. Always pay in a way that gives you recourse:
- Credit card — strongest protection, can dispute charges with your bank
- PayPal Goods and Services — buyer protection if item not received or not as described
- Platform's built-in payment — Carousell's CarouPay, eBay's checkout, Shopee's payment
Never pay via:
- Bank transfer / wire transfer to an individual
- Cryptocurrency
- Gift cards
- Cash apps with no buyer protection (Venmo Friends & Family, PayPal Friends & Family)
These payment methods are irreversible. Once sent, the money is gone.
Red flags that identify scam sellers
- Price significantly below market value
- Seller asks to communicate or pay off-platform
- Pressure to pay quickly — "another buyer is interested right now"
- No verifiable reviews or account history
- Product photos are stock images or found on other sites
- Unclear or non-existent return policy
- Payment requested by bank transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency
- Seller becomes unresponsive after you ask for more information
What to do if you've been scammed by a seller
On a marketplace:
- Report the seller to the platform immediately
- Open a buyer protection dispute if the platform offers one
- Contact your payment provider (bank, PayPal) to dispute the charge
- Keep all screenshots of communications as evidence
By bank transfer:
- Contact your bank immediately — some transfers can be recalled if fast enough
- File a police report — required for bank recovery processes
- Report to your national consumer protection authority
Report on Scampede — your report warns others and builds the database that protects future buyers.
Staying safe as online shopping grows
The best protection is building these habits automatically:
- If the price seems impossible, it is
- Always pay with a method that gives you recourse
- Never move communication off the platform where the listing appeared
- A little research before paying saves a lot of pain afterwards
Check any suspicious seller website on Scampede's website checker before handing over payment details.
FAQ
Check their reviews across multiple platforms, verify their return policy, look up how long they've been selling, and avoid any seller requesting off-platform payment.
It can be, but Facebook Marketplace has no buyer protection. Always meet in person for high-value items, inspect before paying, and never pay by bank transfer in advance.
Not necessarily. Reviews can be fabricated. Look for reviews that mention specific products, check review dates for suspicious clusters, and search the seller name on Google.
Almost certainly yes. Pricing significantly below market is the most reliable indicator of a scam seller. If it seems too good to be true, it is.