Empty Package Scam: What is this new scam that is spreading on private sale site Vinted?

The principle of Vinted is simple. The app connects sellers and buyers who are interested in one of their properties. When both parties agree on the selling price, the item is shipped and the amount is transferred from the buyer’s account to the seller’s account. The problem is, for several weeks, buyers, with malicious intent, have announced that they received an empty package. Then they start a dispute process against the seller to get a refund, even though they got the item pretty well and hope to recover money and butter… the item and the payment!

Also Read:
Odometer scam: What is the profile of these more experienced crooks?

The scam was quickly called the “empty package scam”, and it has already affected many users in France. Many people say they feel completely helpless and abandoned by Vinted’s support service and say they want to leave the platform for good. BFMTV Vinted asked about this. The company assures that it “takes the security of (its) members on the platform very seriously”. “When a dispute arises between a buyer and a seller, we consider several factors. If we receive a complaint about receiving an empty package, we look into all possibilities: among them, the activity of both members (seller and buyer), any possible fraud activity, improper packaging or the possibility of damage during transit”, concludes the second-hand sales platform.