How to spot a scam

Scams share a few warning signs: they ask you to pay first, they hurry you, they send odd links, or the price is too good. These signs help you stop and think. They are not proof, and the lack of a sign is not a promise that all is well.

Warning signs

• Pay first. A deposit, a down payment, a "reservation fee", a courier fee, an insurance fee or a "release" fee before you have met.
• Money by transfer. Asking you to send money by bank transfer or an e-wallet to hold or ship the item.
• A rush. "Pay now or someone else will take it."
• Another app. Pushing you to leave Zellany to chat somewhere else.
• A strange link. A link to "pay here" or "verify your account".
• A price far below what others ask.
• Asking for a code or a password. Nobody real needs your one-time code.
• A screenshot as proof. Someone says they paid and sends a screenshot. Check your own account, not their picture.
• No meet-up. The person will not meet, or only wants a courier, but the item is local.
• A story that changes. The photos, the name or the details do not match.

What Zellany shows

In a chat, Zellany shows a warning on messages that ask for money first or ask to move to another app. It reads: "Don't pay before you meet. Pay only when you have the item in your hands, and check it first." A warning never blocks a message. Links and email addresses in chat are refused.

These checks look for signs. They never promise that something is safe, and they can miss things.

What to do

1. Stop. Do not send money.
2. Keep the chat. Do not delete it.
3. Tap Report on the chat, the item or the person. See Block or report someone.
4. Block the person if you like.
5. Tell a friend.

If you already lost money, read What to do if something went wrong.