How to Detect and Avoid Poshmark Scams
Online shopping has become one of the fastest-growing industries, with people spending billions of dollars every year on goods they purchase online. The boom in online shopping has led to the founding of several e-commerce sites, like Poshmark.com, which has become very popular over the years; since its launch in 2001, Poshmark has become the IT website to sell and buy new and used clothes, shoes, accessories, and more. Unfortunately, Poshmark has also become a playground for online scammers who cheat people out of their money and credit information. So, whether you are a new user of the online shop or a veteran buyer/seller on Poshmark, you should know how to recognize and avoid Poshmark scams.
2020 Most Common Poshmark Scams
The following are the most common scams that fraudsters commit on the popular shopping app:
Counterfeit goods
Name-brand products are always in fashion, and people are constantly on the hunt for designer goods at bargain prices. Poshmark scammers take advantage of people's desire to find a good deal, and they sell designer goods at low, low prices. Unfortunately, when the buyer receives the "goods", he/she realizes that not only is the product counterfeit, but it is usually of very low quality.
Forged cashier checks
One very common Poshmark scam is a forged cashier check; with this type of scam, the scammer will purchase an item from a seller and will send the seller a cashier's check with a sum that exceeds the sale price. The buyer will then notice their "mistake" and request that the seller sends the difference in cash. Once the seller does so, the scammer will cancel the check, leaving the seller with no product and no payment.
Sending sub-par goods
There are many buyers who describe the goods that they sell as "the best", "high-quality", and other adjectives that are aimed to sell as many items as possible. Unfortunately, the buyer receives a product that is not the best or even close to being the best, leaving a hole in their pocket and with an item that they cannot use as they wanted.
Draining accounts of money
In Poshmark, you can accumulate the money that you make and use it as you see fit. Unfortunately, scammers take advantage of this, hacking users' accounts and draining them of money. The account is just like every other monetary account, making you vulnerable to information and money theft.
How to Avoid Poshmark Scams
Now that you are familiar with the most common Poshmark scams, it is time to find out how to avoid falling victim to scammers on the website:
1. Beware of sales that are too good to be true
Finding a bargain is great, but you have to keep in mind that some deals are just too good to be true; designer goods at cheap prices are very hard to find, so if you found a great deal, research it; check the price of a new item that is identical or similar to the one that you want to purchase, check sale prices, and second-hand prices. If the deal on Poshmark is very cheap compared to what you found, it is likely a scam, and you should avoid purchasing the bargain item that you had your eye on.
2. Only use approved payment methods
Poshmark allows payment through the following platforms:
- Credit or Debit Cards.
- Affirm.
- Apple Pay.
- Google Pay.
- PayPal.
- Venmo.
These payment methods are protected and encrypted by the website's security system, and you should not accept or give payment in any other way. If someone offers you a cashier's check, a money drop-off, or any other payment that is not approved by Poshmark, do not complete the deal.
3. Perform a people search on sellers/buyers
If you are having doubts about a certain individual on Poshmark, you can perform a people search on ProPeopleSearch.com to find out if you have cause for concern. The website provides detailed public records data about individuals in the US, so you can check if people have provided you with truthful information about themselves. With a people search, reverse phone number search, or address search, you can discover people's true names, contact information, find their email accounts, and social media accounts, and view their criminal records. With the help of the information, you can discover if someone has lied to you about their identity and if they have a criminal past that may indicate they are likely to scam you.
4. Do your research on items
If you see an item on Poshmark that you want to purchase, make sure it has a complete listing; check the seller's description, see photos of the item, and ask questions if you have any. If a seller omits information, he/she may have a reason to do so, and by asking questions, you can flush out lies and discover if the item is in good condition or if it exists.
Online shopping scams cause people to lose millions of dollars every year, with Poshmark scams being some of the most popular scams today. To avoid Poshmark scams, you should be careful about what you buy and who you interact with. No bargain is worth getting scammed, and if something seems too good to be true or suspicious, it probably is.
