In the world of online marketplaces, Mercari has emerged as the most reliable and trustworthy place for buying and selling secondhand goods. It offers a user-friendly interface to list products and a secure checkout system to minimise friction and reduce frauds. However, there are various cases of both buyers and sellers getting scammed on Mercari. In this article, we will discuss Mercari scams and how to avoid losing money to fraudsters. Keep reading!
Is Mercari Marketplace Legit?
So, some of you who might be new to Mercari may wonder if it’s Mercari itself pulling off these scams on its users? The answer is, No! Mercari has been around since 2015. With its large user base and millions of people buying and selling a wide variety of products, Mercari has gained a great reputation. In short, Mercari in itself is a legitimate marketplace, however, there has been a surge in the number of fake buyers and sellers in recent years.
Despite an increase in the number of scammers on the platform, Mercari has always been quick to advise its users of the common scams pulled off by both buyers and sellers.
Common Mercari Seller Scams
Below are some of the common Mercari scams pulled off by fake sellers.
1. Fake Listing: This is a typical example of listing scam on most marketplaces including Mercari. A seller will create a listing with high quality images, description, and catchy title for a product with an extremely lower price than their market value. Once you buy the item, the seller will disappear or send fake tracking to delay any dispute.
Asking for Extra Payment: Some fake sellers may also sell items to desperate buyers and once they have paid, the sellers will try to extort money and keep asking for extra payment. After paying to fake sellers, they will disappear from the platform.
Counterfeit Goods: You may also get sellers trying to convince you to buy “authentic” brand items. In reality such items are a cheap copy of the original or a broken item, after it’s received and checked. The price for such items are also kept very low to attract buyers.
Common Mercari Buyer Scams
Below are some of the common Mercari scams pulled off by fake buyers
Payment Reversals: Fake buyers can request unauthorised payment methods that can easily be reversed or disputed. Once a seller ships the item and the buyer receives it, they will dispute the transaction and get a refund and also keep the product.
Fake Refund Requests: It’s similar to the one above, but they only do refund requests from the seller by claiming that they never received an item (empty palms picture as evidence?). A legitimate seller has to do a lot of extra work to track the item or process a refund.
Examples of Mercari Scam Victims
Below are some of the real examples in which a victim was scammed:
1. A buyer purchased designer shoes from a “real” seller at a very cheap price. However, upon receiving it, he found out that they were counterfeit shoes.
2. Another buyer paid for some items through a third party payment. The seller never shipped the item and the buyer was unable to get a refund or claim he didn’t receive the product.
Factors Indicating if a Seller is Legitimate
There are various factors that indicate if a seller is legitimate
1. The seller has a long history of selling on Mercari and not some new vendor who just started selling this month.
2. The seller has written an informative and accurate description of their listings and not some long, boring copy paste description from the internet.
3. The seller is responsive and answers any questions from the buyers. They are also able to provide further information on the item and can send even more photos if need be.
If the seller has these traits but you still think there’s something not right about the seller, you can avoid interacting with them just to be on the safer side.
Factors Indicating if a Buyer is Legitimate
There are various factors that indicate if a buyer is legitimate!
1. A legit buyer will have high rating and positive feedback from other sellers, which shows he has ordered things previously and has a track record of being a good buyer and not problematic.
2. A buyer should also have an account that’s active for at least a couple months to indicate that they are here to buy something. While not always true, a new account with fewer or no transactions shows it’s created for fraudulent activity.
3. A legit buyer will show interest in the item by promptly responding to messages and inquiries. They are willing to engage in a conversation, unlike a scammer who wants the item to be shipped now, so they can dispute the transaction quickly.
By paying attention to these factors, you can reduce the risks of getting scammed by a buyer or a seller. You also need to bear in mind that scammers can pull off modern scams to steal your money or product.
How to Prevent Mercari Scams
While new ways are being created by scammers to pull off scams everyday, there are some basic things you can keep in mind to prevent yourself from losing money.
1. Thorough Seller Review: Before making a purchase, make sure you know who the seller is. Check if he has legitimate reviews and not some one-liner fake reviews left by bots. Avoid sellers with low ratings and negative feedback.
2. Buy from Established Sellers: Interact with sellers who have a long history on the platform with dozens of sales and multiple items with high rating and positive feedback.
3. Payment on the Marketplace: If a buyer or a seller asks you for payment outside Mercari payment system, they are likely scamming you. There’s no point in paying outside Mercari as they support almost all payment systems.
4. Check Invoices: Make sure the invoice for the product is correct, reflecting accurate description of the item and pricing etc. If you see something that’s missing or incorrect, talk to the seller and ask for any clarification.
5. Use Mercari’s Shipping: Mercari’s secure shipping system allows items to be shipped and tracked in a timely manner to avoid any discrepancies. Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, you should use Mercari’s shipping to prevent getting scammed.
6. Caution With Expensive Items: A scammer may be looking to sweep away as much money as they can in one go. This is usually done by offering a high-value item that’s either counterfeit, damaged, or non-existing. When buying such items, do your due diligence and check the seller’s past history and feedback.
What to do If you’re Scammed
1. Document the case: Gather as much information as possible on how you were scammed on Mercari, including conversation, product details, seller or buyer’s profile and shipping information.
2. Contact Mercari: Once you have your evidence, contact Mercari support and provide them with necessary information or whatever they ask for. Make sure you give the correct account of the incident.
3. File a Police Report: While such scams on the internet may seem trivial, filing a report with your local police will pressurise a scammer and increase your likelihood of recovering your loss.
4. Dispute Transaction: If you think you have been scammed and you paid with your credit card, you can dispute the transaction. Give your bank all the relevant details and they should be able to reverse the transaction after confirmation.
Stats and Facts About Scams on Mercari
Below are some of the stats and facts related to scams on Mercari
1. A survey conducted in 2012 by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) revealed that 3% of Mercari users have been scammed in the past year.
2. The most common scams in Mercari include counterfeit products, fake listings, overpayment requests, and payment reversals etc
3. According to the FTC survey, people between the age of 18 and 29 are most likely to be scammed on Mercari.
Conclusion
So there you have it: scams on Mercari and how to avoid getting scammed. By looking for common scam types such as fake listings, counterfeit product offers, and payment reversals, you can reduce the odds of falling into one. Also make sure not to interact with a new seller who has a negative feedback and is eager to sell you “original” Nike for a friction of its market value. If you think you have been scammed you can contact Mercari with all your evidence and they will be able to advise on the next step.