Vinted scam or dispute: how to secure the evidence in time

What to capture on Vinted

Why Vinted disputes are won or lost on evidence

Most Vinted problems are one person’s word against another’s. The buyer says the jacket had a hole, the seller says it left in perfect condition. Vinted’s team was not there, so it decides on what each side can show: the listing, the messages, the photos and the tracking.

The trouble is that much of this can change. A seller can edit the description or delete the listing. An account can be closed. Messages from a banned account may no longer display. By the time a dispute is reviewed, the page you relied on may look different or be gone.

The 2-day clock: how Vinted Buyer Protection works

When you pay with the Buy now button, a mandatory Buyer Protection fee is added at checkout. According to Vinted’s help centre, it covers items that do not arrive, arrive damaged or are significantly not as described, and items confirmed as counterfeit.

• You have 2 days from the moment the order is marked as delivered to report a problem with the “I have an issue” button.
• If you press “Everything is OK” or let the 2 days pass, the payment is released to the seller and the order is completed. Vinted then states it can no longer offer a refund or return.
• When reporting, attach photos that show the problem: damaged parts, damaged packaging, and anything that does not match the listing.
• If the seller asks for a return, you have 5 business days to send it. Buyers normally pay return postage unless the seller provides a Vinted label.

Rules and deadlines change, so check the current Buyer Protection and refund pages in the Vinted help centre for your country before you rely on a date.

Buyer problems: not as described, counterfeit, empty parcel

Item not as described

The claim is measured against the listing, so you need the listing as it was when you bought: description, stated condition, size, brand and every photo. Pair it with your own photos of the same angles, so the difference is obvious side by side. Save chat messages where the seller confirmed measurements or said there were no defects.

Counterfeit items

Capture the listing text claiming the brand, then photograph labels, stitching, logos, serial numbers and authenticity cards in good light. Vinted says that confirmed counterfeit items are not returned to the seller, so your photos may be the only record of what the item looked like.

Empty or wrong parcel

Here the unboxing video carries the case. Start filming with the sealed parcel and the label in view, then open it without cutting away. Note the weight shown in the tracking or on the label if available, and keep all packaging until the dispute is closed.

Off-platform payment and fake payment links

Buyer Protection only applies to purchases made through Vinted checkout. A seller who asks for a bank transfer, a friends-and-family payment or a deposit to hold the item is asking you to give up that protection, and this is where most outright scams happen.

• Buyers: a “seller” sends you a checkout link by email or messenger. The page looks like Vinted, but it is a phishing site that takes your card details.
• Sellers: a “buyer” says they have already paid and sends a link to “receive the money” or “confirm the sale”. A genuine Vinted sale never asks you to enter card data to get paid.
• Either side: pressure to move the conversation to WhatsApp, Telegram or email, where Vinted cannot see it.

If this happens, capture the chat in Vinted, the messages in the other app, the full URL of the link and, if the page is still online, the phishing page itself. Then call your bank immediately if you entered any card data.

Read the full guide to marketplace payment link scams and what to do if you clicked →

Seller problems: damage claims and swapped returns

Sellers need evidence too, and it has to exist before the parcel leaves. A buyer can claim the item arrived damaged, send back a different or worn item, or return an empty box. Without records you cannot show what you sent.

• Photograph the item from every side before packing, including labels, tags and any flaw you disclosed in the listing.
• Film yourself packing and sealing the parcel with the label visible. It takes a minute and settles many disputes.
• Save your listing as it was published, including the disclosed defects and measurements.
• When a return arrives, film the unboxing and compare it with your earlier photos before you confirm.

When a buyer reports an issue, you can offer a partial refund, a full refund or ask for a return. If you cannot agree, either side can ask Vinted to review the case. After a return arrives, the help centre gives the seller 2 days to confirm the item or report a problem, so do the comparison straight away.

What to do first, step by step

1. Stop and do not click any link, pay outside Vinted or press “Everything is OK”.
2. Capture the listing page and the seller profile while they are still online.
3. Capture the chat and the order page from your own logged-in account.
4. Photograph or film the item, the packaging and the label.
5. Save the tracking history from the carrier’s site.
6. Only then report the issue in the order, attach your photos and describe the problem factually.
7. Keep the item and packaging until the case is closed.

How to capture Vinted pages properly

A screenshot is a quick start, but it is just an image file: anyone can edit it, and it does not prove which URL it came from or when. In a simple dispute it may be enough. If money, a police report or a court is involved, you want evidence that is much harder to challenge.

• Public pages, such as a listing or a seller profile: paste the URL into GetProofAnchor. The server captures the full page, the HTML source and the network log, seals everything with SHA-256 hashes, an eIDAS qualified timestamp and a Bitcoin anchor, and gives you an Evidence ZIP that anyone can verify.
• Pages behind your login, such as the chat, the order and your inbox: a server cannot see them. The browser widget, available on subscription plans, captures what you see in your own logged-in browser with the same sealing.
• Your own photos and videos: keep the original files, not compressed copies sent through a messenger.

For a single dispute, the one-time Starter pack (9 € for 3 proofs, no subscription) usually covers the listing, the profile and one more page. Only capture what you can lawfully access: your own account, public pages, never someone else’s login.

See how the browser widget captures chats and orders behind login →

Escalating: Vinted support, consumer bodies and private vs Pro sellers

Vinted is operated by Vinted UAB, a company based in Vilnius, Lithuania. Its terms describe a sequence you should follow and document at each step.

1. Report the issue in the order and try to agree with the other party.
2. If there is no agreement, ask Vinted to review the case. The help centre says the team aims to reply within 48 hours.
3. If you disagree with the outcome, use Vinted’s dispute or complaint form and keep a copy of what you sent.
4. After that, you can turn to a national consumer body for alternative dispute resolution, or to the courts.

Private seller or Pro seller?

Most Vinted sellers are private individuals. EU consumer law, including the 14-day right of withdrawal and legal guarantee, applies to purchases from traders, not from private people. Vinted Pro sellers are registered businesses, and for their items those consumer rights apply. Check the profile before you buy and capture it if there is a dispute, because the seller’s status decides which rules apply.

If a private seller behaves like a business, for example selling many identical new items, note it and capture the profile. For cross-border problems with a trader, the European Consumer Centre in your country can advise for free.

When it is fraud: police and your bank

A counterfeit sold knowingly, an empty parcel sent on purpose or a phishing link is not just a customer service issue. It can be fraud, and a police report may be needed for your bank or insurer.

• If you entered card or bank data, call your bank at once, block the card and ask about a chargeback or refund.
• Report the account inside Vinted, but only after you have captured it.
• File a police report online or at a station. Bring the Evidence ZIP or the PDF report, the order number and your timeline.
• In most EU countries you can also notify the national consumer authority, which collects reports about recurring scams.

Frequently asked questions

This article is general information, not legal advice. Vinted’s rules and deadlines can change and may differ by country, so always check the current Vinted help centre and, for larger amounts, speak to a consumer organisation or a lawyer.