Is This Seller Legit? How to Check Any Online Seller Before You Buy
Bought something online and not sure if the seller is real? Use our checklist to verify any online seller on marketplaces, social media, and independent websites before paying.
Online marketplace and social media seller scams cost consumers billions of dollars globally each year. Whether you're buying on Carousell, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Shopee, Gumtree, or an independent website, knowing how to verify a seller before you pay can save you from losing your money and never receiving your item.
Why seller scams are so common
Selling platforms have made it trivially easy to create a seller profile with fake information. A scammer can set up a convincing seller account in minutes, populate it with stolen product photos, offer attractive prices, collect payments, and disappear — often before the platform even detects the account is fraudulent.
Social media has made this even worse. Instagram shops, Facebook Marketplace listings, and TikTok Shop sellers face minimal verification requirements. A professional-looking Instagram page with a few hundred followers can be created and operational within an hour.
The most common seller scam patterns
The too-good-to-be-true price A product listed at 50-80% below market price. You pay, receive nothing, and the seller disappears. The most common version.
The advance payment scam Seller requires full payment before shipping. Once paid, they either don't ship or send a worthless substitute. Common on Carousell, Facebook Marketplace, and WhatsApp-based sellers.
The counterfeit goods scam You receive something, but it's a cheap fake of what was advertised. Particularly common with electronics, luxury goods, sneakers, and branded clothing.
The bait-and-switch You order a specific item, receive something entirely different and significantly cheaper. Seller argues that the description was accurate and refuses refund.
The off-platform payment scam Seller asks you to pay via bank transfer, PayNow, PayID, Venmo, or cryptocurrency instead of through the platform. This bypasses buyer protection entirely.
The fake escrow scam Seller suggests using a "trusted escrow service" that is actually controlled by the scammer. You send money to the "escrow", it's released to the scammer, and you receive nothing.
Platform-specific risks and protections
Carousell High risk for cash-on-delivery fraud and advance payment scams. Carousell offers CarouPay with buyer protection — only use this, never direct bank transfer. Meet sellers in person for high-value items.
Facebook Marketplace No buyer protection for most transactions. High risk of scams especially for electronics, tickets, and vehicles. Always meet in person and inspect before paying. Never pay by bank transfer in advance.
eBay Strong buyer protection through eBay Money Back Guarantee. Highest risk area is off-platform communication — sellers who ask you to email or WhatsApp them directly to "get a better price."
Built-in escrow holds payment until you confirm receipt. Use this protection — never agree to pay outside the platform. Report sellers who ask for direct payment.
FAQ
Check their reviews across multiple platforms, verify their return policy, look up how long they've been selling, and avoid any seller requesting off-platform payment.
It can be, but Facebook Marketplace has no buyer protection. Always meet in person for high-value items, inspect before paying, and never pay by bank transfer in advance.
Not necessarily. Reviews can be fabricated. Look for reviews that mention specific products, check review dates for suspicious clusters, and search the seller name on Google.
Almost certainly yes. Pricing significantly below market is the most reliable indicator of a scam seller. If it seems too good to be true, it is.