The fake Vinted payment email scam
Phishing emails impersonating Vinted trick sellers into entering bank details on a fake page. Cifas banned over 50,000 Vinted accounts linked to fraud in 2024.
Free download. iOS & Android. UK-first.
The fake Vinted payment email scam sends you an official-looking email claiming your Vinted sale payment is ready but requires you to click a link to “release” funds. The link is a phishing page harvesting your bank details. Vinted never asks sellers to verify bank details mid-transaction via email. Always log in directly through the Vinted app. Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
What is the fake Vinted payment email scam?
The fake Vinted payment email scam targets sellers on the Vinted resale platform by impersonating Vinted’s automated notification emails. After you list an item and a buyer “purchases” it — in this scam, there may be no real buyer at all — you receive an email that closely mimics Vinted’s genuine transaction notifications. It claims your payment is ready and prompts you to click a button to verify your bank details and release the funds.
The destination is a phishing page, not Vinted. Any bank card details or account credentials entered on that page go directly to the fraudster. Cifas reported that over 50,000 Vinted accounts were banned in 2024 in connection with fraudulent activity — a figure that reflects the scale of criminal infrastructure targeting the platform.
How does the fake Vinted payment email scam work?
- 01
Fraudster identifies you as a Vinted seller
You have active listings on Vinted. The fraudster may send messages as a "buyer" first to confirm your email address, or may simply broadcast phishing emails to known Vinted users.
- 02
A convincing "payment received" email arrives
The email mimics Vinted's purple branding, uses the subject line "You have a new payment" or similar, and may include the item name and a plausible sale price.
- 03
You are told to click to receive payment
"Your payment of £XX is ready. Click below to verify your bank account and release your funds." The button is styled to look like Vinted's genuine CTA.
- 04
The link goes to a fake page
The URL is not vinted.co.uk. The page asks for your debit card number, sort code, account number, or Vinted login credentials.
- 05
Details are captured and used immediately
Fraudsters process stolen card details in real time, often making purchases or cash advances within minutes of capture.
What should you do if you have been targeted by a fake Vinted payment email?
- Do not click any links in unexpected emails. Go directly to vinted.co.uk by typing the address, and check your account from there.
- Forward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk — this is the NCSC SERS and helps take down phishing infrastructure faster.
- If you entered card or bank details, call your bank’s fraud line immediately and ask them to freeze the card and reverse any pending transactions.
- Report to Action Fraud at 0300 123 2040 for a crime reference number.
- Enable two-factor authentication on your Vinted account and any email account linked to it.
How does SilentID Safety Check relate to Vinted scams?
SilentID’s Safety Check is built for in-person marketplace transactions, but the underlying principle — verify before you act — applies to Vinted too. If you use Vinted for local collection as well as postal sales, use Trust Passport to verify who you are meeting, and PIN Pickup to handle the payment. Never proceed on the basis of an email alone.
Related guides
7 warning signs of a fake Vinted payment email
Learn to spot these before you click. Every one of these signals has been present in confirmed phishing reports.
Email sender domain is not @vinted.co.uk
Genuine Vinted emails come from @vinted.co.uk. Phishing emails use lookalike domains such as @vinted-payments.com, @vinted.co.uk.notify.net, or random Gmail/Outlook addresses. Check the full sender address, not just the display name.
The email asks you to click a link to "release" payment
Genuine Vinted releases payment to your Vinted Wallet automatically after the buyer confirms receipt. You never need to click a link in an email to receive money already in your wallet.
The link goes to a non-vinted.co.uk domain
Hover over the button before clicking. The destination URL should be vinted.co.uk, nothing else. Any variation — however subtle — is phishing.
The email says the buyer has already paid but Vinted is "holding" funds
The phishing scenario typically claims the payment is pending your verification. Vinted does not operate a seller-verification step via email for standard transactions.
The page then asks for your bank card or account number
Once you click the link, a fake "enter your bank details to receive payment" form appears. Vinted pays into your Vinted Wallet and then to your saved bank account via SEPA or Faster Payments — it never asks for card details mid-transaction.
Urgency or expiry deadline in the email subject
"Your payment expires in 24 hours." "Action required: claim your Vinted payout." Fraudulent emails use time pressure to override your caution.
Poor English or inconsistent Vinted branding
Many Vinted phishing emails are translated from other languages. Look for odd phrasing, inconsistent logo colours, or a layout that does not match Vinted's actual email templates.
Frequently asked questions
Never trust a payment email — trust the app
Download SilentID. For in-person Vinted collection, use Trust Passport and PIN Pickup — no emails, no phishing surface.
100% passwordless. UK-based. GDPR-native.
·
Reviewed by the SilentID editorial team. We update each guide quarterly with new UK fraud data.