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March 3rd, 2020
Have you ever had those days where you’re scrolling Instagram, and get inspired by the different styles Insta-models are showing off, but then you see what they’re wearing and realize you can’t afford it? There’s an app for that.
Poshmark has taken off in popularity for those fashionistas who want the latest styles, but can’t afford to go to a retail store to get it. This app features sellers who sell their lightly used clothing or new clothing that they simply don’t want anymore to those who would like to purchase the latest styles at a lower price. This seems like the ultimate problem solver for those who want a bargain on cute trendy outfits, but there is a catch that most overlook: scammers.
In this day in age, no website is safe if it includes random people from the internet. Scammers have found ways to scam both innocent shoppers and buyers out of their money, leaving these fashionistas feeling betrayed and ripped off. Unfortunately, there isn’t just one scam that Poshmark users need to watch out for, but there are many tactics and ways that these scammers are able to sham you out of your money.
Poshmark Scams You Need to Watch Out For
They Comment an Email on Your Products
If you are selling products on Poshmark, one thing to look out for is when people comment on your products asking you to email them. They’ll usually comment a phrase similar to “Hey I really like your product and am interested. Please send an email about the condition of the product and send some additional pictures.”
Once you email the scammer about the product, they would probably respond with wanting to send you a check or PayPal via email. In exchange, they would want you to sell your product to their address outside of the Poshmark transaction, which is highly against Poshmark policies and will get you banned.
In this check or PayPal, they will send you one-thousand dollars more than the product is worth and ask you to cash the money to give it back to them. It is highly illegal to do this, and if you try to report it on Poshmark they won’t be able to help you since the transaction was done outside of the app.
They Send You a Different Product Than What You Ordered
If you open your package and the product is significantly different from what you ordered, then you probably have been scammed. Scammers like sending you a cheaper looking version of what you’re supposed to get so that they can make more money without having to sell you the name brand version of the product you thought you ordered.
To ensure you will be able to return your product, please open any boxes you get within 72 hours of it being delivered. That is Poshmark’s deadline for filing returns. You need to check and make sure the product is what you ordered before their deadline; otherwise, you may be stuck with the scammer’s cheap product. Also, report and block the scam seller to ensure that no one else can be spammed by the same person.
They Return to You a Different Product Than What They Ordered
If someone is persistent in buying a certain product from you and wants you to put it on hold for them, do not do it unless that person is a trusted buyer. They want to make sure that it looks like they have enough money in their account so that they can buy your product, receive it, and file a return claim saying that it wasn’t what they ordered when it was.
They will then proceed to “return” your item by sending you something completely different from what you sent them and keeping their money. They would then keep your product for free essentially, and probably end up selling it for more money. If this happens to you, report it to Poshmark immediately so that they can still charge your spammer for the product you sold them.
How to Avoid Getting Scammed on Poshmark
- DO NOT email anyone from Poshmark. As I stated above, it is highly against Poshmark Policy to perform a transaction of a product outside of Poshmark. You need to make sure your buyers are buying through the app and only using their approved payment methods to complete the transaction. Do not listen to anyone who comments that they would like to be emailed more information about a product and run a reverse email lookup to check if its a legit email address.
- DO NOT accept checks or PayPal information outside of a Poshmark transaction. Again, this will get you banned. Scammers like to give you extra money than what they owe you and ask you to cash the money to give it to them. If someone asks you to do this, it is illegal and the check they gave you will most likely be fake. You will most likely not receive money for the product you just sold them.
- Check and return ALL faulty items within the 72-hour return mark. Another Poshmark policy is that you need to file a return for a product within that 72-hour mark. If you miss the mark, the item is yours with no chance of returning it. I know we all have busy schedules, but you still need to check each package you get to make sure you received the correct items.
- Report ALL fishy accounts and comments on Poshmark. If an account does not have a history and is leaving excessive comments on your product, then chances are they are a scammer. Report all accounts that give leave you with an unpleasant gut feeling that you can’t trust them. If they are leaving comments insisting you email them, or are constantly bugging you about a product, do not sell to this person. Instead, sell to someone that follows the Poshmark rules and buys through the app.
- Make sure a package has NOT been tampered with in any way. If your box has minor holes from going through the mail, then that isn’t an issue. However, if the box looks like it’s been pulled apart and taped back together multiple times, that’s when you should be suspicious. That means a scammer and his buddies probably opened and closed the box multiple times and switched out the good items for the false ones. If a box is tampered with and you receive the wrong or no product, report it to Poshmark immediately within 72 hours.
- ONLY send packages to the address on the buyer’s profile. If the buyer wants you to send the product to a different address, chances are they are probably scamming you. They usually don’t want to put their information on the app so that way people can’t track them, so they give out a different address to send the package to their friends or a PO Box. If they request for you to send the product to a different address, report them immediately.
Basically, scammers will go on any website they can to scam users out of their money, and Poshmark is no exception. They will come up with multiple ways on these sites to take your money, so it is always important to keep your guard up. If anything seems fishy or off to you, report it immediately and never sell anything outside of the Poshmark app.
