10 Online Safety Tips for Buying and Selling
1.Use common sense. Don’t do anything online that you wouldn’t do in real life. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
3.Meet face to face where you can. Gumtree encourages local trading. Meet in a busy public place, check the item and test that it works before you pay.
4.Pay Online Securely. Look for the Pay Online Securely badge on the listing. Your money is only released to the seller once you are happy with the item. You can use it whether you meet the seller or not.
5.Learn more about the seller. How long have they been active on Gumtree? [ seller profile information]
6.Keep your chats on Gumtree. Be wary if someone asks you to move to WhatsApp, SMS or email. Never click a link they send you to pay or to “verify” an item.
7.Selling and can’t meet? Never send your item before the money is in your bank account. A screenshot of a payment is not money, so check your account.
8.Never EFT a deposit for an item you haven’t seen. Do not accept or pay using anonymous payment services such as Bidpay, eWallet, Western Union, PayPal or MoneyGram.
9.Never share personal or banking details with others over the internet, such as your credit card number, ID number, PIN or one-time codes.
10.If you are suspicious, contact us through the Gumtree Contact Us page. In case of fraud or illegal activity, please also report it to the Police.