Whether classifieds, Facebook Marketplace or willhaben.at – anyone who has ever offered something via an online platform knows the often dubious or even annoying messages.

But you should be particularly careful about one. Namely if the interested party wants a logistics company like DPD to pick up the item on offer!

Process of the “DPD scam”

You have advertised an item on an online sales platform. An interested party comes forward and is even prepared to pay more than the asking price because he really wants the item.

Screenshot / excerpt from a chat history
Screenshot / excerpt from a chat history

“I would like to buy it and am willing to add 20 EUR so that the item is reserved for me OK. On the other hand, I would like to send you the money in cash in an envelope to your address via the DPD GROUP courier service and a collection service after receipt of the money send the package to your home.”

Message in plain text (sic!)

If someone wants to voluntarily pay more for an item on offer, then the matter already stinks to high heaven and you should be alarmed.
No matter how you react - whether you wave it off or ask questions with interest, you will receive a more detailed explanation of the process:

Screenshot / excerpt from a chat history
Screenshot / excerpt from a chat history

“… I explain to you that you will receive money in cash in an envelope that will be sent to your home address via the DPD Group postal delivery service, the DPD company will send a factor to your postal address to collect the package and deposit your money and me then send it to my delivery address. This means that I will send you the money via DPD in cash and once you have received the money, the service will be responsible for collecting the package from your home at my expense. Then I hope you understand me?”

Message in plain text (sic!)

“Courier insurance” trap

DPD Switzerland has already published information about fraud on the Facebook Marketplace on its website. One of the common fraud scenarios is that the fraudsters pretend that the transaction in which DPD is commissioned requires courier insurance, which should be borne by the seller. They state that this amount must be included in the purchase price when the courier picks it up.

But of course this is all just a trick to get the seller's money. As soon as the seller hands over the item, the fraudster disappears and the money is irretrievably lost.

Case “envelope insurance fee” and Paysafecards

Another possibility is that the fraudsters request a supposed “transshipment insurance fee” from the seller, which is supposedly necessary for the transaction, reports the website “Cybercrimepolice” . Paysafecards should be purchased for this purpose. As supposed proof of the payment, the fraudsters demand a photo of the Paysafecard with the PIN visible on it. This gives the fraudsters the opportunity to redeem the credit. The money is gone, and of course the supposedly purchased item is never picked up.

Insults and threats

As soon as sellers become skeptical and see through the fraudulent intentions, the fraudsters do not shy away from insulting their victims (as we found out for ourselves - HERE ) or even threatening them. They try to put pressure on sellers to push aside their concerns and doubts and still accept their fraudulent claims.

How do I behave in such a case?

To protect yourself from fraud on classified ad platforms, here are some tips to follow:

  • Stay in control of the payment and shipping process: As a seller, you should always stay in control of how payment and shipping takes place. Do not accept offers that require processing or communication via other services such as WhatsApp. You should complete the entire transaction through the respective platform. All the necessary tools are available here anyway. There is no reason not to use these.
  • Wait for payment to arrive: Always be patient and wait for the money to actually reach your account before shipping an item. Fraudsters sometimes send fake payment confirmations to pretend that payment has been made. Therefore, always check your account and corresponding incoming payments carefully. Only then should you send the item.
  • No advance payment via voucher code or gift card : This should go without saying, but it is still important to point out: never send voucher codes, Paysafecards or similar as advance payment. There is no good reason for serious buyers to ask you to give them codes or vouchers in advance. These are often used by fraudsters to steal money.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, scams on classified ad platforms are not uncommon. It is all the more important that we are aware of the fraudulent methods and follow the tips mentioned above. This way we can minimize our risk of falling victim to such scams.

Therefore:

  • Stay alert!
  • For private sales, always maintain control over the payment and shipping process.
  • Never act hastily when it comes to payments or personal information.

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Notes:
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