Is this buyer message a scam?
Paste a message or email from a buyer. We'll point out the usual scam signs and what to do about each one.
This is a guide, not a guarantee. Scammers change their wording, so a low result doesn't prove a buyer is genuine. Keep payment and messages in the app.
Questions
- Is the message I paste stored or sent anywhere?
- No. The check runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you paste is saved, sent to SnapFlip or shared with anyone, and it's gone when you close the page.
- How does the checker work?
- It looks for patterns that turn up again and again in scams against second-hand sellers: paying or chatting off the platform, fake “payment pending” emails, links that aren't eBay, Vinted or PayPal, overpayments, couriers, requests for codes or your phone number, and pressure. It understands English, French and Spanish. It uses fixed rules, not AI.
- Does “low risk” mean the buyer is genuine?
- No. Scammers change their wording, and a friendly first message can come before the trick. It's a guide, not a guarantee: keep payment and messages in the app whatever the result.
- Which web addresses are the real ones?
- In the UK: ebay.co.uk, vinted.co.uk and paypal.com (and their subdomains, like www.). Anything else using the brand name, like ebay-login.co.uk or vinted-pay.com, isn't them. When in doubt, open the app yourself rather than a link.
- I think I've been scammed. What now?
- Call your bank first if you've paid or shared card details. Then report the member in the app and report it to Report Fraud (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or Police Scotland on 101. Our seller safety centre has the full list.