Scam goods sold online or on Social media

There are unfortunately a lot of fraudsters selling fake goods online and on social media.

If you've been tricked by a fraudster into sending them money, please get in touch with us by tapping Help on the bottom right of the app, search for "Reporting a scam", tap the help article and then "Report Fraud" and complete the steps in the form.

Here’s a quick rundown of how these fraudsters work:

Fraudsters create fake online shopping sites or pose as legitimate sellers on social media sites such as Facebook Marketplace or auction sites like eBay. They try to trick you into buying products or services that don’t exist. They make their listings look real by using photos from genuine sellers, and tempt you into sending money with really cheap prices.

Scams could involve:

The seller has no intention of sending you the item or providing the service. They might encourage you to pay them by bank transfer instead of using the payment options on the website. And once you’ve paid them they’ll block you.

Be cautious when shopping on social media, and never send the person any money without confirming that the product is genuine first.

If you’re shopping on sites like eBay, Vinted or Depop, always pay through the site using your card.

Watch out for emails and messages claiming to be from a legitimate site asking you to make payments to receive money or asking you to pay additional fees or insurance.

Avoid paying by bank transfer as they aren’t as well protected as card payments. Once you’ve sent money by bank transfer it’s almost impossible to get it back.

Use trusted sites and be wary if prices seem too good to be true. For more information about how to keep yourself safe from fraud, head to monzo.com/fraud.