Buying and selling
Offer that was too good to be true
A car at half its value, a rental with no application, concert tickets under face value, an investment with guaranteed returns, a job paying hundreds a day for clicking. The offer is built to switch off your judgment before the ask arrives. People report it in every kind of deal.
What it looks like
- A price well below everything comparable, with a reason: divorce, deployment, moving abroad.
- A rush: 'lots of interest, first deposit takes it'.
- Photos lifted from another listing.
- 'Guaranteed' returns, or income that requires no skill and no time.
Why is a price that's too good a warning sign?
Getting a bargain feels like winning, and nobody wants to lose by hesitating. The seller supplies a plausible story for the price and a reason to move fast, and the deposit or payment method does the rest. Real bargains exist. They just don't need you to pay a stranger by wire before you've seen anything.
What to do
- Compare against three similar listings. If it's far below all of them, assume there's a reason.
- See it in person, or don't pay. For tickets, use the venue or a platform with buyer protection.
- Never send a deposit by Zelle, wire, gift card, or crypto to hold something.
- If you paid, contact your bank or app straight away and report the listing.
More in the tips: Buying, selling, and payment apps.
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