Report a marketplace scam (Vinted, eBay, Depop, FB)
Platform-specific UK reporting flows — plus Action Fraud, your bank and a free PDF evidence pack with SilentID Pro.
Free download. iOS & Android. UK-first.
Report a UK marketplace scam in three places at once: (1) inside the platform using the Report this listing / Report this user button (Vinted, eBay, Depop, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree all have one), (2) your bank fraud team immediately if money moved (number on the back of your card), and (3) Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040 (101 in Scotland). SilentID Pro generates a single PDF evidence pack accepted by all three.
Why platform reporting matters
The platform itself is the only body that can pause the scammer’s account, remove the listing and protect the next victim. Cifas reports 50,000+ Vinted accounts banned in 2024 alone (Source: Cifas) — that volume only happens because users report. Combine the in-platform report with Action Fraud (the UK national intelligence body) and your bank (for any chance of recovery) and you have the full UK reporting flow.
How to report a Vinted scam
Open the listing or member profile in the Vinted app. Tap the three-dot menu (top right). Choose Report and select the closest matching reason (counterfeit, scam, prohibited item, harassment).
- For shipped purchases: open a dispute in the Vinted app within 2 days of delivery — that is the auto-confirmation window for Buyer Protection.
- For off-platform payment scams (PayPal F&F, bank transfer, courier fee): Vinted Buyer Protection does not cover these. Call your bank and report to Action Fraud.
- Forward any phishing emails from a fake “Vinted” sender to report@phishing.gov.uk.
How to report an eBay scam
For shipped items paid through eBay Managed Payments, the eBay Money Back Guarantee covers you. Open a case in My eBay first. Use the Report this listing or Report this user button on the listing page to flag the seller.
- For empty-box returns or chargeback fraud against sellers: appeal inside My eBay using your packing/handover video evidence.
- For off-eBay payment scams (PayPal F&F, bank transfer): outside Money Back Guarantee. Call your bank and report to Action Fraud.
- For fake “eBay account suspended” phishing emails: forward to report@phishing.gov.uk and to spoof@ebay.co.uk.
How to report a Depop scam
In the Depop app, open the conversation, the listing or the user profile. Tap the three-dot menu and choose Report. For paid orders, open a Help Centre case in the app within Depop’s dispute window — Depop Payments holds the buyer’s money until delivery confirmation, so in-app purchases are covered.
- For off-Depop payment scams (PayPal F&F, bank transfer, Instagram DM): outside Buyer Protection. Call your bank and report to Action Fraud.
- For counterfeit designer drops: report the listing inside Depop and flag to the impersonated brand if you can identify it.
How to report a Facebook Marketplace scam
Open the listing in the Marketplace section. Tap the three-dot menu and choose Report listing or Report seller. For shipped items inside Facebook Checkout, Facebook Purchase Protection may apply.
- For in-person collection scams (the most common): Facebook makes no guarantees for Messenger-arranged meet-ups. Call your bank and report to Action Fraud.
- Facebook Marketplace is the UK’s most-scammed platform — TSB reports £160,000 stolen every day (Source: TSB). Reporting matters even if you didn’t lose money — every flag protects the next buyer.
- For Santander / TSB customers: ask about the Contingent Reimbursement Model. Santander protected over 1,800 customers from FB Marketplace transfers in 2025.
How to report a Gumtree scam
Use the Report this ad button at the bottom of any listing. Gumtree is a classifieds site with no built-in escrow — there is no Buyer Protection scheme to lean on.
- For deposit-before-viewing scams (the classic Gumtree fraud): call your bank and report to Action Fraud immediately. The faster you report, the better the recovery odds.
- For seller overpayment scams (“send the difference back to my courier”): same. The original payment will be reversed days later; treat as bank fraud immediately.
The free PDF evidence pack (SilentID Pro)
Each of the platform, Action Fraud and your bank wants the same evidence in slightly different formats. SilentID Pro’s Report a Scam tool generates a single PDF designed to be accepted by all three:
- Timeline of communications — every message, dated and timestamped, in chronological order.
- Screenshots — listing, profile, chat thread, payment receipts. Captured with metadata.
- Transaction records — amounts, dates, recipient bank account or card last-4, payment method.
- Video evidence — packing, parcel, label, handover clips from SilentID Video Evidence with tamper-sealed timestamps.
- Pre-filled reporting checklist — exact contact details for the platform’s trust-and-safety team, Action Fraud and your bank fraud team.
UK marketplace fraud — the numbers
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Generate your free PDF evidence pack
Download SilentID — Pro users get the Action Fraud-ready PDF evidence pack accepted by Vinted, eBay, Depop, Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree. iOS & Android.
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Reviewed by the SilentID editorial team. We update each guide quarterly with new UK fraud data.