How to Spot & Avoid Secondhand Scams in Australia

Most secondhand scams in Australia follow a handful of familiar patterns: overpayment, fake payment confirmations, "courier" or shipping requests, dodgy links, and pressure to pay off-platform. You can avoid nearly all of them by sticking to a few simple rules — meet in a public place, pay cash or verify the money has truly landed in your account, keep the conversation on FlyerBoard, and never click a payment link. If a deal feels rushed or too good to be true, walk away.

Buying and selling locally is one of the best ways to save money and keep good stuff out of landfill. But wherever money changes hands between strangers, scammers turn up too. The good news: most scams are easy to spot once you know the playbook. Here's how to recognise the common ones and protect yourself.

What are the most common secondhand scams in Australia?

Scammers tend to reuse the same scripts. Knowing them by name makes them obvious.

• Overpayment scam. A "buyer" sends (or claims to send) more than the asking price, then asks you to refund the difference. The original payment is fake or later reversed — you lose the refund.
• Fake payment confirmation. You're shown a screenshot or an email that looks like a bank or PayID receipt. The money never actually arrives. Real funds show in your account, not in a picture.
• Courier / shipping scam. A distant buyer insists on using "their" courier and asks you to pay a shipping or insurance fee up front, promising reimbursement. The courier and the buyer don't exist.
• Phishing links. You're sent a link to "confirm payment", "verify your account", or "release the funds". It leads to a fake login page that steals your details or bank logins.
• Off-platform payment requests. A seller or buyer pushes you to move to text, WhatsApp, or email and pay by bank transfer or gift cards. Once you're off-platform, there's no record and no recourse.
• Too-good-to-be-true pricing. A near-new iPhone or designer pram at a fraction of its value, often with a reason you must "act fast". The item is bait; the goal is your deposit.

Australia's Scamwatch, run by the ACCC, tracks these and publishes current alerts — worth a look if something feels off.

Red flags to watch for

If you spot more than one of these in a single conversation, treat it as a scam until proven otherwise.

• They want to take the chat off the platform straight away.
• They can't or won't meet in person and "must" ship the item.
• They ask for a deposit, "release fee", or shipping cost before you've met.
• They send a payment screenshot instead of you seeing money in your account.
• They overpay and ask for change.
• There's urgency: "another buyer is waiting", "I'm flying out tonight".
• The price is far below market with a flimsy story attached.
• They send a link and ask you to log in or "confirm" anything.

How to stay safe: a simple checklist

Run through these every time. They cost you nothing and stop almost every scam.

1. Meet in a public place. Choose somewhere busy and well-lit — a shopping centre, a café, or a designated police-station "safe trade" spot. Bring a friend for higher-value items.
2. Pay cash, or verify the money first. For in-person deals, cash is simplest. If using PayID or a transfer, confirm the funds have actually cleared into your own account before handing over the goods — don't trust a screenshot.
3. Never click payment links. Legitimate buyers don't need you to "confirm" payment through a link. No genuine sale requires you to log in via a message.
4. Keep the conversation on-platform. On FlyerBoard, chat stays in-app so there's a record. Refuse to move to a random email or messaging app to "sort out payment".
5. Inspect before you pay. Check the item works, matches the photos, and is what was described. Test electronics, count parts, check serial numbers for big-ticket items.
6. Never pay to receive money. No real buyer asks you to pay a shipping, insurance, or "release" fee to get your own funds.
7. Trust your gut. If something feels rushed, evasive, or too good to be true, you're allowed to walk away. A genuine buyer or seller will understand.

Buyer vs seller: who's targeted by what

Scammers tailor the trick to which side of the deal you're on.

The defence is the same for both: meet locally, verify real money, and stay on-platform.

Why staying on FlyerBoard helps

A big part of safety is keeping a trail. When you keep chat and arrangements inside FlyerBoard, there's a record of who said what, and the conversation can't quietly vanish into a stranger's private inbox. FlyerBoard is built around local trades between real people in your community — which naturally cuts out the long-distance "I'll send a courier" scams that rely on you never meeting face to face. Combine that with cash or verified payment in person, and you've removed most of the risk. A clear, honest listing helps too — here's how to write an ad that sells safely.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Is it safe to use PayID for a secondhand sale? PayID is fine as long as you confirm the money has actually landed in your account before handing over the item. Scammers fake PayID "pending" emails — real funds appear in your bank app, not in a screenshot.

Q: Someone overpaid and asked me to send the difference back. What do I do? Don't refund anything. The original payment is almost certainly fake or will be reversed. Cancel the deal and report the account.

Q: A buyer wants to use their own courier and pay me later. Is that legit? Almost never. Treat any "I'll arrange a courier, just cover the fee" request as a scam. Stick to local pickup and payment in person.

Q: Where can I report a scam in Australia? Report it to Scamwatch. If you've lost money or shared bank details, also contact your bank immediately.

Q: What if a price seems too good to be true? It usually is. Slow down, ask questions, and never pay a deposit for something you haven't seen. A real seller won't pressure you to rush.

Ready to buy or sell the safe, local way? Browse and post on FlyerBoard — keep your chats in-app, meet nearby, and trade with confidence.