Buyers should be wary of:
- Extremely low prices for expensive or popular items.
- Promises of earning quick money with little effort.
- Sellers wanting payments before delivering the item you have purchased.
- Anyone asking you to wire money directly into their account, or who claims to only take Western Union or Money Gram or similar forms of payment.
- Someone who provides a different address or contact details than what is stated on his or her details page.
- Anyone claiming that Google Trader will guarantee a transaction, certify either buyer or seller, or will handle or provide protection for a payment. Any such claim is fraudulent as Google Trader is not involved in any transactions.
When you meet:
- Meet in a safe, public place.
- Inspect the item before you complete the transaction to make sure it is exactly what has been described and it is what you wanted.
If you’re the seller, be wary if:
- The buyer wants to pay with a cashier’s check.
- The buyer wants to pay only part of the price up front and the rest later.
- The buyer hides his or her contact details or phone number.
To report a fraudulent listing on Google Trader:
- Scroll to the bottom of the listing.
- Choose a reason for your report, such as “Wrong category” or “Item not available”.
- Click Send report. This will send a report to the administrators who will make a decision to remove the listing or leave it online in accordance with Google Trader program policies.
To report a bad or fraudulent user:
Click the Report abuse from this user link that you see under the user details when you visit the user's profile. Choose a report reason and then click Submit report. These reports are anonymous. Alternatively, you can also fill out our Report a problem on Google Trader form.