Depop Scams UK: Spot Fake Sellers & Off-App Payment Cons
Depop scammers use fake listings and payment tricks to steal from UK buyers — here's exactly how to protect yourself.
What a Depop scam looks like
Depop is a genuine resale app, but criminals exploit it. The most common con is a seller, often on a hacked or throwaway account, who pushes you to pay outside Depop - by bank transfer or PayPal "friends and family" - then disappears with your money. An example of the style is: Hi! I can do £45 for the trainers if you pay by bank transfer or PayPal friends & family - Depop takes a fee so it's cheaper to go off-app x.
Other versions include fake high-value listings, "I've sent it, here's a tracking link" phishing, and overpayment tricks aimed at sellers. This guide shows the warning signs, how to buy and sell safely, and what to do if you have already paid.
Why these scams work
A small discount for paying off-app sounds reasonable, and a hacked account can carry genuine reviews and followers, so it looks trustworthy. Scammers add urgency - "another buyer is interested" - to rush you.
The rule that protects you: keep messages and payment inside Depop. Depop tells users not to pay or share private information outside the app because keeping transactions in app is what lets Depop help protect them. PayPal "friends and family" is a personal-payment route and is not the same as paying for an eligible purchase with Purchase Protection.
Signs a Depop deal is a scam
- The seller asks you to pay by bank transfer or PayPal "friends and family".
- They want to move the chat or payment off Depop, to WhatsApp, Instagram, or email.
- A discount is offered specifically for paying off-app.
- The price is far below the going rate, or the deal is rushed.
- A "seller" sends a tracking or payment link asking you to log in or enter card details.
- The account is new, or its style and posts changed recently, which can be a sign it was hacked.
- A buyer "overpays" and asks you to refund the difference.
How the scam works
First, you agree a deal on a listing. Second, the seller offers a small discount to pay off-app, or sends a link. Third, you pay by transfer or "friends and family", or enter details on a fake page. Fourth, the item never arrives, or the link harvests your login and card. Finally, the account goes quiet or vanishes.
For sellers, the mirror version is a buyer who "overpays" or sends a fake payment confirmation and asks you to send the item or a refund before the money is really there.
How to buy and sell safely on Depop
Keep everything inside the app.
- Pay through Depop checkout and keep the transaction in app.
- Never pay by bank transfer or PayPal "friends and family", however small the discount.
- Keep all messages and payment on Depop, and ignore requests to move off-app.
- As a seller, only post an item once the payment is visible through Depop's legitimate in-app payment flow - ignore emailed "payment confirmations".
- Be wary of new accounts, prices that are too good, and pressure to rush.
If you are unsure whether a linked page is genuine, our guide on Is This Website a Scam? A Practical Checklist Before You Buy helps, and our Vinted Buyer Scam UK: Spot Fake 'Payment' Cons and PayPal Friends and Family Scam: Why Sellers Ask for It guides cover related resale and payment cons.
If you have already paid or shared details
Act now using the payment, account and identity steps in our scam recovery checklist.
How to report a Depop scam (UK)
Report the seller or buyer in the app using the in-app Report option, and contact Depop through the Help Centre's Submit a request form at depophelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-gb/requests/new with screenshots of the listing, profile, and messages. If you receive a suspicious email, SMS, social-media message, or website claiming to be Depop, report it to reportphishing@depop.com.
If a scam link reached you by email, forward it to the NCSC at report@phishing.gov.uk; if by text, forward it to 7726.
If you lost money or shared sensitive information, report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040 if you are in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101. Tell your bank as soon as possible if money moved.
Frequently asked questions
Is Depop safe to use, or should I avoid it?
Depop is a genuine marketplace; the risk is off-platform payments. Keep payment and messages inside Depop. The danger sign is a seller who wants a bank transfer or PayPal "friends and family" payment.
A seller offers a discount to pay by bank transfer or 'friends and family' - is that ok?
No. That is the most common Depop scam pattern. Paying off-app removes Depop's ability to help protect the transaction, and the item often never arrives. Pay through Depop checkout only.
How can I tell if a seller's account was hacked rather than a deliberate scam?
You often cannot, and it does not change what you should do. A sudden change in what an account posts, or a long-standing account suddenly pushing off-app payment, can both signal a takeover. Keep the deal on Depop either way.
I've already paid a Depop scammer - can I get my money back?
Possibly. If you paid by card, ask your bank about a chargeback. Eligible UK transfers since 7 October 2024 may fall under APP reimbursement rules, subject to limits and exclusions. PayPal "friends and family" payments should not be assumed to have Purchase Protection. Report it quickly.
How do I report a Depop scam?
Report the user in the app and contact Depop through the Help Centre's Submit a request form. Report suspicious Depop-impersonation messages to reportphishing@depop.com. If you lost money or shared details, report it to Report Fraud in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, or to Police Scotland on 101 in Scotland.
Sources checked
- Depop Help Centre — Buying safely on Depop
- Report Fraud — reporting a fraud, and who the service covers
- Police Scotland — contact us: non-emergencies on 101