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Categories Most transactions between users are straightforward, but scammers may sometimes pretend to be genuine buyers or sellers.
Fraudulent schemes can vary, but they often use the same tactics: urgency, suspicious links, fake payment confirmations, unusual delivery arrangements, and attempts to obtain your banking or personal information.
If something feels unusual, do not rush. Stop and verify the information independently.
One suspicious sign does not always mean that someone is trying to scam you. However, several warning signs together should make you more cautious.
Take extra care if another user:
A simple rule
If a normal transaction suddenly becomes complicated, urgent, or requires you to do something you do not understand, stop and check before continuing.
A scammer may send:
These can be altered or completely fake.
Important
If you are expecting money, check the payment yourself through your bank or the official payment service you normally use.
Do not hand over an item or return money based only on a screenshot or message from another user.
A common scam involves sending a link that looks like a genuine website belonging to a:
The purpose may be to steal:
Safer approach
If you genuinely need to use a service, open its official website or app yourself instead of following a link sent by someone you do not know.
A scammer may tell you:
“I’ll arrange the courier. You don’t need to do anything.”
You may then receive a link that appears to come from a courier or delivery company.
The page may ask you to:
Be especially cautious if an unknown buyer or seller insists that you use a particular courier service through a link they have sent you.
Scammers may create websites that look like secure payment or buyer-protection services.
For example, you may be told:
“Send the money through this secure escrow service. Your payment will be protected.”
Or:
“This transaction uses a special Buyer Protection service.”
A professional-looking website or familiar-sounding name does not guarantee that the service is genuine.
Do not send money through an unfamiliar payment or escrow service simply because another user insists on it.
A scammer may claim that they accidentally sent too much money. For example:
“The item costs €300, but I accidentally sent €500. Please send €200 back.”
They may provide a fake bank screenshot or fraudulent email as proof.
If you send the €200, you may later discover that the original payment never existed.
What to do
Do not return any supposed overpayment until you have independently confirmed that the original payment has actually arrived.
If a payment situation looks unusual, contact your bank or payment provider before taking any action.
You may be asked to urgently pay a:
A deposit does not automatically mean that something is fraudulent. However, the risk is higher if:
If every payment is followed by another unexpected charge, stop sending money and check the situation carefully.
Scammers may try to gain access not only to your banking information, but also to your EirFair account.
Never share:
Be especially cautious if someone tells you:
“I need to confirm that you are a real user. Send me the code that has just arrived on your phone.”
Verification codes are for you, not for another user.
A scammer may pretend to be from:
A name, logo or profile image does not prove that the person is genuine.
Be cautious if someone unexpectedly asks you to:
If necessary, contact the organisation yourself using its official website or trusted contact details.
Scammers often create a sense of urgency to stop you from thinking or checking the situation properly.
You may hear things such as:
Pressure to act immediately is often designed to prevent you from verifying the information. If someone is rushing you, that is a reason to slow down.
Whenever possible, independently check important information provided by another user. For example:
A useful rule
Do not allow another person to control every part of the transaction — from communication and payment to delivery and verification.
If you suspect fraud or notice suspicious behaviour, use EirFair’s support and reporting options.
Use this for suspected scams, phishing, fake payment requests, fake courier schemes, suspicious links, account security concerns or other suspicious behaviour.
Use this when your concern relates to a specific listing on EirFair.
Use this if you believe specific content on EirFair is illegal.
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