Fraud is prevalent on secondhand marketplaces, with Depop, Shpock and Preloved found to be the worst offenders for buyers, new research from Which? has revealed.
The consumer champion conducted a survey of 1,300 buyers which showed 32% had been scammed while using secondhand marketplaces during the two years to January.
The most common scam involved shoppers being sent incorrect products. Some 15% of shoppers had been sent nothing at all, while 11% received empty packages and 10% were sent counterfeit items, The Guardian reported.
While Depop, Shpock and Preloved customers were the most likely to face scams, issues were also identified on Amazon and eBay.
After surveying 1,400 sellers, Which? also found 22% of users reported being scammed, and were most likely to face fraudsters on Nextdoor, Preloved, Shpock, and Depop.
The news comes as the latest UK Finance data revealed purchase scams were the most common type of authorised push payment (APP) fraud, making up 66% of cases reported to banks.
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Which? director of policy and advocacy Rocio Concha said: “Second-hand marketplaces can be a great way to save money and shop in a more sustainable way so it’s worrying that a third of buyers have experienced a scam in the last two years.
“When buying and selling second-hand goods online, it’s important that people properly check the seller’s reviews and profile – especially if they are on the hunt for expensive goods.”
She added: “However, the responsibility should not fall wholly on consumers to protect themselves from scammers.
“Secondhand marketplaces need to ensure there are proper checks in place to prevent scammers from advertising in the first place and that any scam profiles are quickly removed.”
Responding to the report, Depop said: “We strongly encourage consumers who are buying and selling anywhere online never to share personal information with other users, to be very wary about following links to other sites, and to report any suspicious behaviour via in-app reporting systems.”
The company also added: “If an item you’ve bought or sold on Depop doesn’t arrive, isn’t as described, or is lost or damaged in transit, you’re eligible for a full refund under our Depop Protection policy – as long as you report the issue to us within 30 days of the date of purchase.
“We offer Depop Protection for both buyers and sellers, meaning our community can buy and sell with confidence.”
Last month, eBay joined Depop in ditching fashion selling fees for pre-worn clothing on its platform, in an effort to encourage circular fashion.
Ebay said the move was prompted by its consumer research that found only 25% of shoppers sold their unwanted clothes, despite 92% of adults saying they had over one item of clothing they hadn’t worn in the last 12 months.
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