A screenshot is not a payment
Open your bank, marketplace or payment-provider app independently and inspect the actual transaction. Do not use a link in the buyer’s email to “confirm” that money has arrived. A message saying you must pay to upgrade an account, release proceeds or buy insurance before receiving a payment is a reason to pause. Follow the platform’s own payment and dispatch instructions.
Keep the order inside the supported process
Requests to move a conversation or payment away from the platform can remove useful evidence and may affect protection. Check the current platform rules. Treat unexpected QR codes, login pages and courier booking links as untrusted. A familiar logo or a reassuring profile is easy to imitate. Use the app you installed or a saved official address rather than the route the buyer supplies.
Overpayments need the provider’s help
If someone claims to have paid too much and asks you to send the difference to another account, stop. Verify the transaction with your provider and use its supported refund process. Do not fund a refund from your own money on the strength of an email, screenshot or pending deposit. A new delivery address, a third-party courier or repeated urgency should trigger a fresh check against the actual order and protection requirements.
Judge the transaction, not the person’s accent or name
A low feedback count is a reason to review the order, not proof of fraud. Look for inconsistent payment instructions, unusual requests and pressure to bypass safeguards. Save the listing, messages and transaction reference. If you have already sent money or credentials, use the emergency steps immediately. No checklist can prove a buyer is safe, and a genuine payment can still be disputed.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Make the next move a clearer one.
- Check payment in your own app, opened independently.
- Pause requests to pay a fee to receive money.
- Use the original supported order and delivery workflow.
- Keep messages, listing details and transaction references.
- Verify changed instructions through an independent channel.
Where we checked the details
Primary sources checked 11 October 2026. Rules, prices and eligibility can change. Confirm current terms with the official service.
General UK guidance and editorial checklists. Apply the official rules to your circumstances and seek qualified help where needed. This is researched guidance, not a claim that we have tested every provider or situation.
Spotted an update? Tell us →