Wallapop, like any second-hand trading platform, is a sneak of scams. So I can certify it after more than four years selling and buying items within the platform. There are many types, although most are forged around a common pattern that can be easily identifiable if we know the keys to detect them. For this reason we have made a compilation of several of the most frequent Wallapop scams of 2019 and 2020 along with a series of tricks to avoid them, whether we are buyers or sellers.
index of contents
- A classic: the Nigerian scam
- Sending money via DHL
- Do you buy in person? Beware of counterfeit bills
- Bank transfer: I click and disappear from your side
- The case of the entry of fake money
- Be careful with payments through PayPal
- Cash on delivery: empty package or with surprise
A classic: the Nigerian scam
Probably the most repeated scam both in Wallapop and in the rest of the second-hand pages. Detecting these types of scams is very simple.
In general, the profile interested in our article will urge us to follow the conversation through WhatsApp with a rather poor Spanish. In this way, the person will propose to send the article outside of Spain to a relative who is in Nigeria, Italy, the United Kingdom or any country in northern Europe or southern Africa.
To make the offer more attractive, the interested party will reward us with 50 or even 100 euros for the inconvenience caused. Once the transaction is accepted, we will be sent an email from a supposed bank in one of the countries mentioned that will force us to enter a certain amount in the attached account to unblock the international transfer.
Of course, both the email and the banking information provided by the user in question are false . Just take a look at the email address or the website of the impersonating bank.
Sending money via DHL
A new type of scam that we already reported in this other article. The scam consists, once again, in taking the conversation to other channels outside of Wallapop, such as WhatsApp or Gmail. Next, the person concerned, who happens to be outside of our native country (United Kingdom, Italy, France, Russia ...) and speaks a fairly artificial Spanish? , will propose to us to carry out both the shipment of the item and the payment of the transaction through the transport company DHL .
Once we have accepted the transaction, we will be sent an email supposedly signed by DHL. The email in question will ask us to pay 100 euros (or any other amount) to ensure the shipment. Of course, the mail sent to our address is fake : DHL does not operate in the way we have just described.
Do you buy in person? Beware of counterfeit bills
In 2015, the well-known youtuber Tolo, from the El Camionero Geek channel, unveiled a new type of scam that is forged in person. The key to this scam lies precisely in the authenticity of the banknotes, banknotes that are usually 20, 50 or even 100 euros .
There are some tools to detect counterfeit bills. The simplest is to make the deposit of the amount in an ATM: if the device does not accept them, we are faced with bills that have been forged. We can also use special markers or even UV machines , especially popular in bars and restaurants. The price of both ranges between 5 and 20 euros.
Bank transfer: I click and disappear from your side
If we are going to buy an item within Wallapop, the traditional method of making a payment in a remote way is bank transfers.
Unless the profile in question has dozens of positive comments and a general rating of 4 or even 5 stars, it is best to opt for a more secure payment method: cash on delivery, WallaPay ... The risk of this type of operation is quite high, and the probability that the seller will disengage once the transfer has been resolved exist. Today, in fact, there are dozens of cases of scam making use of bank transfers.
The case of the entry of fake money
A case that I have suffered particularly in one of my transactions. The scammer deposited the amount owed to my bank account on a Friday through a cashier through an envelope. At the time of making the deposit the money appeared reflected in my account. The problem is that the confirmation of this amount is not made until the next business day . Until then, the amount appears in the account as unconfirmed.
It wasn't even three days before the amount was deducted from my account again. The reason? The envelope had been inserted empty . There was no real income. Nor was there any information about the person in charge as he did not enter any personal data in the ATM.
This also occurs between bank transfers, although it is somewhat less common. Ideally, with transactions of this type, is to wait as long as it takes for the amount to be confirmed in our bank.
Be careful with payments through PayPal
PayPal is the safest payment method on the Internet. It is a fact. It is if we resort to the payment option for Products and services that the platform itself offers to individuals and companies.
This modality covers 100% of the amount transferred in case of problems with the item or the service provided, although it implies a surcharge with respect to the total amount owed. If we choose the one known as payment between friends, PayPal will not take care of any incident , although the transfer will be free.
The latter is precisely one of the methods most used by scammers and mafias within Wallapop to avoid subsequent reprisals.
Cash on delivery: empty package or with surprise
The latest case of fraud arises from cash on delivery shipments. Many cases have been reported for receiving products that do not correspond to the original article , not to mention the cases of users who have received an empty package or even with depositions wrapped in paper.
The only protection measure that we can take against this practice is to proceed to review the package before the courier leaves the place . Before even making the payment of the fixed amount.