Vinted Sale Ends in Fraud: A True Story

A young user turned to Mimikama in desperation after falling victim to a scam on Vinted. She actually just wanted to top up her pocket money and was hoping to make some money by selling her rarely used bag. We are receiving more and more frequent reports from users who have been scammed on Vinted. One of these stories stands out: A saleswoman offered a bag and fell victim to a sophisticated scam that she didn't realize until it was almost too late.

The emotional cost of cheating

After a few emails, we spoke to her personally on the phone. On the other end of the line was not only a young woman who had been cheated out of 250 euros, but also someone who was deeply affected emotionally. She cried, overcome with shame and disappointment. It wasn't just the lost money that pained her, but also the realization that she had fallen for the scam despite an inner warning signal that she wanted to ignore.

The fraudsters contacted the seller via the Vinted platform and feigned interest. Through clever manipulation and fake payment confirmations in the form of screenshots, they persuaded the seller to operate outside of the secure Vinted payment channels. They promised a direct payout and sent her a QR code that took her to a fake site.

In detail: Scammers exploit the ignorance of new Vinted users by pretending to want to purchase items and sending QR codes that supposedly trigger payments. In reality, these QR codes lead to fake Vinted payment sites that aim to collect banking information and steal money from users. The process often involves a request to confirm payments in one's banking app, which ultimately allows fraudsters to access victims' accounts.

This “Vinted” scam is real and dangerous

This scam is real and dangerous, especially for new users who are unfamiliar with Vinted's security protocols. The fake payment sites are often well imitated and can appear deceptively real. A typical sign of such a forgery is a different URL that does not correspond to the official Vinted address, such as “ vinted-at.info439.com ” or “ vinted.info209.com ”.

The fake “support chat”

The scammers use a fake “ support chat ” and occasional phone calls to apply pressure and force payments to be released. This highlights the importance of keeping all transactions and communications within the official app and never revealing sensitive data outside of the platform's secure environment.

The saleswoman scanned the QR code, entered her bank details and followed the further fraudulent instructions. Without realizing it, she gave the scammers access to her bank account. It didn't take long until she noticed that money was being debited from her account instead of the sales proceeds - 250 euros had suddenly disappeared.

The amount of EUR 250 was transferred to a German account, as this screenshot shows

After realizing her loss, she contacted Mimikama. Based on the screenshots submitted, we were able to accurately understand the fraud and make it public. At this point, together with the saleswoman, we were able to create screenshots that show step by step how the fraudsters proceeded.

Screenshots of a real fraud case on Vinted. The fraudster(s) feign interest in a bag. The scammer(s) call themselves “tqgiyulf”.

support chat ” then opens.

Vinted scam questions and answers:

Question 1: What should I do if I receive a suspicious QR code on Vinted?
Answer 1: Ignore the QR code and immediately report the incident to Vinted .

Question 2: How do I recognize fake payment sites?
Answer 2: Check the URL carefully; it should match the official Vinted web address.

Question 3: What happens if I enter my bank details on a fake site?
Answer 3: Fraudsters can gain access to your bank account and attempt to withdraw money.

Question 4: What should I do if I have already fallen for a scam?
Answer 4: Contact your bank immediately and report the matter to the police.

Question 5: How can I generally protect myself from online fraud?
Answer 5: Stay within official apps for transactions, do not reveal personal information or click on external links.

Conclusion

To protect yourself from fraud on Vinted, it is important to conduct all transactions and communications within the official app. Be skeptical if you are asked to provide personal information or scan QR codes. If you suspect you have been a victim of fraud, act quickly to secure your banking information and take legal action. This case shows in a sobering way how important it is to operate within the security mechanisms of online marketplaces. We at Mimikama want to inform and raise awareness with this story: Never leave official payment channels and report suspicious activity immediately. The deceived user has filed a report with her bank and the police, but it is uncertain whether she will get her money back. Her case serves as a warning example of the pitfalls of online trading.

This young saleswoman represents many who are harmed by the anonymity of the Internet and often feel left alone. Her story is a warning and a reminder to always listen to your gut and exercise extreme caution in any online transaction. At Mimikama we take every case like this seriously and provide those affected with advice and support. We encourage anyone in a similar situation to come forward and seek help rather than suffer in silence.

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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )