Dealing with online auction site fraud
Last updated: 29/07/2026
This Guide is designed to support individuals who have become the victim of a fraud on an online auction site. The Guide includes what practical steps you can take to limit the damage, how to preserve evidence, look after your well-being and where you can get specialist support and report the crime in the UK.
What is online auction fraud?
Online auction fraud is when someone deceives you (as a buyer or seller) during a sale or purchase on an online marketplace or auction site. This may result in losing money, products or services or personal information. In UK law this is usually treated as fraud under the Fraud Act 2006.
Online auction fraud can leave you feeling embarrassed, angry, worried about your finances, or unsure who to trust online, but it is not your fault and many people experience similar scams.
We want to better understand the impact of you experiencing this issue, can you share your experience by filling in this online form? This will help us better protect future victims.
How do you know if you have been a victim of online auction fraud?
Both buyers and sellers can be victims of auction fraud. Online Auction Fraud is usually when:
You’re a buyer and you’ve bought a product or service and:
It never arrives
It differs from the online description/photo
It is of poor quality
It is different from what you’ve ordered
You are charged for hidden costs which were never advertised
Fake bidding with the objective of starting a bidding war and you ending put paying an inflated the price (known as “shill bidding”)
Black market goods or pirated goods being offered for sale
Important information was omitted - information that could have made you change your decision of buying the product/service
The seller disappears altogether
Your payment details are used to make further unauthorised purchases
Buyers should also be alert to sellers who request payment is taken outside of the online auction platform, which will offer limited payment protection.
You’re a seller and:
Are not paid by the buyer
The buyer asks you to deliver the product before they pay
The buyer is using stolen payment details (Please also see our guide on Card Fraud)
The buyer will delay or come up with reasons why they have not paid
You are provided with fake escrow accounts and the money is returned to the buyer after the goods have been dispatched
The buyer asks you to deliver to a different address than the one initially agreed on
The buyer claims the product arrived damaged, or that the products never arrived.
Approaches to dealing with online auction fraud
As a buyer:
Keep a copy of the transaction - Take screen shots of the transaction on the site and keep a copy safe.
Contact the auction site - Contact the auction site as soon as possible. By flagging the transaction or the listing, they will kick off their own internal processes to investigate.
Review the auction sites terms and conditions - Check the auctions policy on how it handles your situation. Some will favour giving you your money back and punishing the perpetrator. Make sure you are clear on their terms.
If you suspect shill bidding, report it - Each platform has a shill bidding policy. Report it to the platform so they can investigate straight away.
Contact your payment method provider - Online payment methods such as cards or PayPal have built-in buyer protection. If you are not satisfied by the response of the auction site, you can go through payment providers to recover your money.
If you believe you have been tricked into a fraudulent transaction, let your payment provider know immediately.
Key communication - Try not to communicate further with the suspected fraudster once you realise there is a problem, as arguing with them can sometimes make things worse or give them more information about you. Do not delete any messages, listings, or emails, as these may be important evidence for the platform, your bank, or the police.
As a seller:
Contact the auction site - Contact the auction site as soon as possible. By flagging the transaction or the listing, they will kick off their own internal processes to investigate.
Review the auction sites terms and conditions - Check the auctions policy on how it handles your situation. Some will favour giving you your money back and punishing the perpetrator.
Dispute process - Make sure you are clear on the online auction site terms, including who takes liability for any disputes on payment and what evidence is required to defend these.
Delivery - do not send the product for delivery until confirmation of payment is received from the online platform.
Proof of delivery - only send items where a proof of delivery is obtained and to the address provided on the online platform.
Proof of damage - if the buyer reports the product is not as expected or damaged, ask them to provide photographic evidence
Report the crime
If you feel in immediate danger or someone is threatening you, call the police on 999; for non-emergencies you can call 101 or report online via the police website.
If you are in England, Wales or Northern Ireland you should report card fraud and other fraud to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via their website https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/ who can provide a crime reference number and investigate what has happened. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland.
How to avoid a scam on online auction sites like eBay, Vinted, Depop and other marketplaces
Make sure you use reputable auction platforms and you start off with small products to get used to how the platform works.
Read the item description carefully and ask the seller for additional information if you are unsure of something.
Read the Terms & Conditions of the auction website that you are using, including the claims and dispute resolution process.
Do not pay directly to the seller. Pay through the auction site every time.
Use reputable payment platforms and not direct bank transfers, crypto currency or giftcards as these are harder to recover if there is an issue.
Do some shopping around to get an idea of how much the item generally costs. A significantly lower price can be an indication of “It’s too good to be true”.
Some offenders may use AI-generated content, such as deepfake images, videos, or cloned voices, to impersonate people or create convincing false material. This can make scams, harassment, or blackmail feel more realistic and harder to identify. If something feels unusual or out of character, try to verify it through a trusted, separate method before taking action or responding.
When buying or selling, be cautious if a buyer or seller sends very polished but generic product photos or videos, or uses a voice message to pressure you to move the deal off the platform quickly.
Review the seller’s feedback
Use a shipping method service that requires signature upon delivery and is easily traceable.
Use an escrow service of your choosing for items with a high value
Keep all records of transactions (e.g. receipts, e-mails, packing slips, etc.)
Do not provide too many personal details (e.g. NI number, bank account numbers, number plates, copy of personal IDs, etc.) to avoid identity theft.
Additional signposting
You can get free, confidential emotional and practical support from Victim Support (www.victimsupport.org.uk or 08 08 16 89 111), even if you haven’t reported the fraud to the police.
Keeping your security and privacy strong online will go a long way to protect you and your information. The National Cyber Security Centre has advice on how to stay secure online.
If you are under 18 and worried about something that has happened to you online, you can talk to Childline for free on 0800 1111 or at www.childline.org.uk . It can also help to tell a trusted adult, such as a parent, carer, or teacher, so they can support you with next steps.
Consider telling a trusted friend or family member what has happened, if it feels safe to do so, so they can support you and help you keep an eye on your accounts and devices.
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