Operations on Wallapop, Vinted or other second-hand buying and selling apps can be dangerous. So much so that even the Civil Guard regularly warns on its social networks avoid problems when buying or selling a product. All this in the face of the rise of scams that are circulating.
One of the most common is to choose continue the negotiation through other channels These are not those of the platform itself. For example, WhatsApp, a very common messaging application with encryption that makes it secure and private. However, as we will see below, this is not by far the best way to complete a purchase and sale transaction.
“We better talk on WhatsApp” is how it all started
The modus operandi of the criminals who abound in applications such as Wallapop, Milanuncios, Vibbo or Vinted is simple, but effective. It all starts when they contact the victim, usually posing as a buyer or seller interested in an object. Once the first contact has been established on the platform, the scammers offer to continue the conversation via an external messaging applicationlike the aforementioned WhatsApp.
THE excuse of the crooks It’s very classic: comfort. While it is true that chats on platforms like Wallapop work well, they end up having fewer options than those intended for messaging. Less familiar with this chat system on buying and selling platforms, in addition to the possibility of losing notifications, many victims agree that it is better to resort to an application as well-known as WhatsApp.
From this moment on, communication is beyond the control of the original platformwhich makes it easier for fraudsters to deploy their tactics without them being able to do anything.
The Danger of Leaving Wallapop and Company
Reporting on the platform is essential in case of problems, but it will be of no use if you have managed everything outside of it.
Negotiating a transaction outside of the original platform can be problematic for several reasons. several forms of scams that proliferatefrom links to fraudulent payment gateways to attaching fake screenshots claiming to have made a payment.
Ultimately, no matter how the operation is carried out, the victim loses money and/or the product he sells or buys. And although this can also happen in the Wallapop, Vinted and company applications themselves, the truth is that greater protection is applied.
It is better to lose a possible sale than to risk fraud outside of the buying and selling platforms.
In case of fraud, the platforms will allow you to report it from the application itself and, having access to the conversations, they will be able to guarantee a solution. Rather, If the negotiation is done via WhatsApp or another external application, you lose all guarantees. And for technical and legal reasons, this would not count as a transaction carried out on this platform.
So yes, the conclusion of all this is clear: never conduct negotiations outside of applications. They can be more tedious and your interlocutor may want to get out of it, but it is important not to fall. The other person may be someone you trust who, unaware of these issues, wants to conduct the negotiation outside for pure convenience, but it is important to always remain vigilant and never turn to another application.
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