Depop scams: fake buyers, off-app payments and how to stay protected
Quick answer
Most Depop scams steer you off the app: a request to pay or chat elsewhere, or a buyer who overpays and asks for a refund. Depop says to keep payments inside the app and never share personal details. Report suspicious messages to Depop Support.
- Comes by
- App, Social media, Email
- Pretends to be
- Depop
- Last updated
How it works
Depop's own advice is to keep transactions in the app and use Depop Shipping or a tracked method. Scams tend to break that advice.
Reported patterns include sellers or buyers asking you to move to WhatsApp, or to pay by PayPal Friends and Family, which removes purchase protection. Sellers also report hijacked accounts with good reviews selling expensive items cheaply, then disappearing.
Sellers can also meet the fake check scam described by the FTC: a "buyer" sends a check for far more than the price and asks you to send back the difference. The check later bounces.
Red flags
- A request to pay or chat outside the app
- Payment by PayPal Friends and Family or a bank transfer
- A well-reviewed account selling high-value items far below price
- A buyer who overpays and asks for money back
- A link or message asking you to confirm personal details
- A buyer who won't use Depop Shipping or tracked delivery
Example message
Hi, I'd love to buy this but the app is glitching. Can you message me on [link] and I'll pay with Friends and Family so it's quicker?
What to do
- 1
Keep everything inside Depop
Pay and get paid in the app, and use Depop Shipping or tracked delivery.
- 2
Don't share personal details
Depop says it never asks you to confirm personal details to complete a sale.
- 3
Never refund an overpayment
If a check or payment is bigger than the price, don't send the difference back until you're sure the money is real.
- 4
Report the user to Depop Support
Send the messages and the profile to Depop and block the account.
- 5
If you paid outside the app, contact your payment provider
Tell them it was fraud and ask about a dispute. Our guide on what to do after a data breach helps if you shared account details.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Scammers who message you on a marketplace often already have your handle, and sometimes your email or phone number from other sources, such as people-search sites.
Serus finds where your phone number, address and email are listed on people-search sites and other data brokers and files removal requests, and it alerts you when your details turn up in a breach. That won't stop every message, but it gives scammers less to work with.
Frequently asked
Is it safe to pay for Depop items outside the app?
No. Depop says to keep transactions in the app, and buyers report that protection doesn't apply when payment is moved elsewhere.
A buyer sent me too much money. What do I do?
Don't send the difference back. The FTC describes this as a fake check scam, where the check later bounces.
Is Depop a scam?
No. Depop is a real marketplace. Scammers use it, or pretend to be it.
How do I report a Depop scammer?
Report the user and messages to Depop Support, and file a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Sources
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