How to spot a fake buyer or scammer
Pressure, overpayment stories and requests to leave the app can be warning signs. Check the actual order status and report suspicious behaviour.
What to know
Review requests that pressure you to rush or move off-platform.
Keep payment and messages in the app.
Do not treat a payment screenshot as confirmation; check the order status.
How SilentSale® protects both sides
SilentCover® is a discretionary protection service under the SilentSale® Terms. Both sides protected equally: buyer and seller each contribute £0.30 + 3% of the item price. Decisions depend on the Terms and evidence.
PIN Pickup is an in-person handover. The buyer inspects the item before sharing their six-digit PIN; the seller enters it in the app to complete the order. The PIN is acceptance. There is no shipping, tracking or post-handover dispute window.
Questions people ask
What should I do about an off-platform payment request?
Keep payment in the app and report the request through the reporting or Support tools.
Are all users and items authenticated?
Verification checks and badges have specific criteria. SilentSale® does not authenticate items; review the listing and inspect before acceptance.
Keep reading
- How to sell safely online in the UK: a step-by-step guide
- How to meet a buyer safely for a local sale
- How to price second-hand items
- Marketplace scams UK: eight warning signs
- How to price preloved items in the UK
- Sell locally without cash: PIN Pickup explained
- All guides
- All answers
- Compare marketplaces
- City guides
Sources
- SilentSale® Terms and Conditions: payment, protection, acceptance and evidence rules. Checked 2026-10-02. §3.1–3.3, §6.1–6.5, §4.1–4.3, §7.5, §15.2.2–15.2.4, §6.5.1–6.5.1, §7.3.7, §15.2, §3.2.2, §3.5.1, §4.4, §2.3.4