Buying & selling online
How to Tell if a Seller Is Legit: 8 Checks Before You Pay
How to tell if a seller is legit on Facebook Marketplace, eBay or Craigslist: check the profile, photos, chat and payment method before any money moves.
Here's how to tell if a seller is legit before you pay: look at how old their profile is and what other buyers say. Check whether the photos are really theirs, watch for pressure in the chat, and only pay with a method that offers protection. A recent photo of a detail the listing leaves out is one of the fastest tests. Someone who really has the item can send it in minutes.
We're building katitrust, a camera app whose photos others can verify, so we see every day how easily listing photos get copied. This guide walks you through the checks in order. For an overview of the scams themselves, see our guide to Facebook Marketplace scams.
How to tell if a seller is legit: the red flags
A fake seller offers something they don't have. Typically you'll see a price far below market value, a brand-new profile, photos copied from elsewhere and a request to pay upfront with a payment app or gift cards. If several of these signs show up together, walk away. Even one is a reason to look closer.
These warning signs come up again and again:
- Too cheap: The price is far below similar listings.
- New profile: The account is only days old and has few or no reviews.
- Catalog photos: The pictures look like an online store, not someone's home.
- Shipping only: Pickup is supposedly impossible because the seller is traveling.
- Pay first: You're asked to pay by Zelle, Venmo, wire transfer or gift card before you see the item.
- Off-platform chat: The seller wants to move to text, email or WhatsApp right away.
The FTC's advice on buying from an online marketplace describes the same pattern and recommends checking out the seller before you buy.
Check a seller before buying: profile, reviews and other listings
A quick look at the profile takes a minute and tells you a lot. Note how long the account has existed and what other buyers said about the deals. A profile that's been active for years, with reviews from different sales, is a good sign. An account created yesterday that suddenly lists several expensive gadgets is the opposite.
Look at the seller's other listings too. Does it all fit, like a few household items and a used bike? Or is the same person selling three new game consoles, a camera and a designer bag, all at bargain prices? A random mix of expensive goods is rare for private sellers.
Don't rely on good reviews alone. Scammers also take over real accounts with a long history, for example through phishing. A strong profile lowers the risk, but it doesn't rule out fraud.
Are the photos really theirs?
Many fake listings use photos the seller never took. They come from other listings, online stores or the manufacturer's website. A reverse image search often finds those copies in a few minutes. Our guide on how to reverse image search shows how to do it with Google Lens or TinEye.
The description gives clues as well. Copied manufacturer text, specs without a single personal word and no details about condition don't fit someone selling their own device. Real sellers usually mention how old the item is, why they're selling it and what comes with it.
Fake seller red flags in the chat
Fake sellers often reveal themselves in the conversation faster than in the listing. A classic sign is pressure: lots of people are interested, so you have to decide now. Then come the excuses for why you can't pick the item up or meet in person. A real seller rarely minds if you want to see the item first.
Be careful with links, too. Real sellers don't send you payment pages or shipping forms by text. A particularly tricky variant is triangulation fraud, where the scammer sits between you and a real seller and keeps the money. Craigslist's own safety page says it plainly: deal locally, face to face, and never wire money or pay with gift cards.
Ask for a recent photo
The simplest test is asking for a photo that doesn't exist yet. Ask for a detail the listing leaves out, like the back, the serial number or the accessories. Someone who really has the item can usually send that within minutes. A seller who dodges, sends an old picture or suddenly has no time is giving you an answer too.
A normal photo in the chat can still be old or copied, though. That's what we're building katitrust for: the seller takes the photo right in the app, and nothing can be uploaded from the gallery. Each photo gets a check code, so you can check the item before you pay, for free and without an account in your browser.
You'll see when the photo was taken, roughly where and that it hasn't been changed since. The code doesn't show who took it or whether the scene was staged, so it doesn't replace the other checks or a protected payment. You can get katitrust for Android on Google Play, and an iPhone version is on its way.
Meet in person when you can
If pickup is possible, it's usually the safest option. Meet in a busy public place, many police stations offer safe exchange spots, and bring a friend for expensive items. Check the item calmly before you pay: turn devices on, compare serial numbers with the receipt and look at the accessories. Craigslist builds its whole safety advice around meeting in person, and our guide to Craigslist scams shows which tricks still turn up there.
Pay only once everything checks out, ideally in cash on the spot. If the seller won't let you inspect the item or wants money first, that's your cue to walk away. Cars, tickets and pets come with their own risks, which our guides to used car scams and ticket scams explain.
Pay with protection, not upfront
Even a seller who passes every check should get your money through a protected route. When you can't meet, use the platform's own checkout or a credit card, which lets you dispute a charge. The FTC warns that people who ask you to pay by wire transfer, gift card or payment app are often scammers.
Avoid sending money as PayPal Friends and Family to a stranger. It has no Purchase Protection, and once the money is gone it's usually gone for good. Why scammers ask for exactly this option is explained in our guide to the PayPal Friends and Family scam. Which payment methods protect you best is covered in the safest way to pay on Facebook Marketplace.
How to report a fake seller
If you spot a fake seller, report the listing through the platform's report function. That protects other buyers and lets the platform review the account. Stop replying, don't click any more links and never send ID photos or bank details.
If you've already paid, act fast. Save screenshots of the listing and the chat, contact your bank or payment app and report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Our guide on what to do if you've been scammed on Facebook Marketplace walks through the next steps.
Frequently asked questions: how to tell if a seller is legit
How do you know if an online seller is legit?
Look for several signs at once: an established profile with genuine reviews, photos the seller clearly took themselves, a willingness to meet or answer questions and a payment method with protection. Ask for a recent photo of a detail missing from the listing as a final check.
Is a seller with lots of reviews safe?
Safer than an empty profile, but not guaranteed. Scammers also hijack old accounts with plenty of reviews. Still check the payment method, the photos and how the seller behaves in the chat, and pay with protection.
Is it rude to ask a seller for a new photo?
No, and honest sellers usually don't mind. Ask politely for a detail the listing doesn't show. With a katitrust check code you can also see when the photo was taken and that it wasn't edited.
What payment methods should I avoid with private sellers?
Wire transfers, gift cards, crypto and payment apps like Zelle or Venmo sent to strangers. These offer little or no way to get your money back if the item never arrives. Cash at pickup or a protected checkout are safer.
How do I report a fake seller?
Use the report button on the listing or profile and describe what you noticed, for example copied photos or a request to pay upfront. If you lost money, also contact your bank and report it to the FTC.
What should I do if I already paid a fake seller?
Contact your bank or payment app right away, save screenshots of the listing and the chat, and report the scam to the FTC. The faster you act, the better the chance a payment can still be stopped.
Conclusion: you can tell if a seller is legit before you pay
Most fake sellers fail simple questions. If you want to know how to tell if a seller is legit, check the profile, run a reverse image search and read the chat carefully. Ask for a recent photo of a detail the listing leaves out, and only pay through a protected method or in cash at pickup.
Those few minutes cost you little and can save you a lot of money and stress. If something feels off, let the deal go, because a real bargain will come along again. For the patterns scammers use on one of the biggest platforms, read our guide to Facebook Marketplace scams.
