15 Le Boncoin scams to know and avoid

Do you want to make good deals by buying your products on a specialized website? Here are 15 Le Boncoin scams to know and avoid.

Why are scams common on Boncoin?

An escroc contact an acheteur via an sms message. Credit : artoleshko

Websites specializing in bargains are the favorite hunting grounds of scammers . The latter are particularly present and active on Le Bon Coin, one of the most popular classifieds platforms in France. This success is partly explained by the diversity of its offers. These range from apartment rentals to vehicle sales, including the sale of smartphones and many other product categories. Le Boncoin is also one of the best places on the internet to find rare gems. However, vigilance is required for the many users of the site.

Scams by email, by text message, false identity or even false payments…, the scammers do not lack tricks to achieve their ends, whether it is a question of extracting money or receiving a product that will never be paid. In all this, it is obvious that the famous classifieds site is in no way responsible for the actions of the scammers. It is up to users to be careful and to detect any attempt at fraud. Whether you are a seller or a buyer, here are 15 scams The Boncoin to discover absolutely to avoid the pitfalls.

1 – The secure payment scam

A woman making a secure payment online. Credit: Daviles

UFC What-to-Choose , an association responsible for protecting consumer rights, reported the scam that targeted Elie, and warns of this type of scam. A buyer contacted Elie, who was selling his high-end computer, to inform him that he intended to buy the product. He claimed to have made the payment through the secure payment system of the LeBoncoin site, his objective being to try to reassure the seller . Except that no payment was made and that the confirmation email sent to Elie did not come from the LeBoncoin site. The scammer aimed to convince her to ship the package without payment.

2 – Beware of overly attractive ads

A young man exclaims that he got a good deal online. Credit: Deagreez

If you find a sale ad at an abnormally low price, beware! If, for example, a salesperson offers you a car or any other product at a price that is too attractive compared to what is available, give up the offer, because it is certainly a online scam . You could be a victim of counterfeit , or the seller will try to offer you a defective item .

3 – Pay attention to products in closed packaging

A cardboard box containing no product. Credit: Evgen_Prozhyrko

Many buyers have already been victims of the new-in-box scam. The seller offers you an item that is supposed to be new and therefore still in packaging. L' scammer claims that he cannot open the box so that the product does not lose its value. He asks you to make the payment, with proof of shipment in support. Except that when you receive it, you discover that the contents of the box have been replaced… by stones or an article without any value. Even if you file a complaint, you may never get your money back.

4 – Beware of ads with a lot of mistakes

A woman reading a scam message on her smartphone. Credit: oatawa

Mistake-filled classified ads should be considered suspicious. Although anyone can make spelling mistakes, scammers can be recognized by their unusual formulations. The ideal is to call the alleged seller directly.

5 – The scam of contact by email only

Email communication message. Credit: juststock

If a buyer asks you to respond only by email or text, stop the sale. This is a trap intended to induce you to send the product without any payment in return. Do not hesitate to contact the person by phone or meet them directly.

6 – The trick of the fake PayPal email

PayPal message received on a smartphone. Credit: pressureUA

Fake payment confirmation emails from PayPal are part of the arsenal of scammers on the site web The good corner. Before sending a product, check carefully if the e-mail you received is genuine or not . Note that anyone can create an email address that includes the PayPal name. To be sure that the payment has indeed taken place, go directly to your PayPal account and check if it has been credited.

7 – Proposals for payment by Western Union

Two people in front of a WU payment agency. Credit: Alexandros Michailidis

Some ill-intentioned sellers ask buyers to pay for the purchase through the Western Union money transfer system. If the same happens to you, stop the transaction. You risk never receiving your package while losing money.

8 – Be vigilant against counterfeit products

Consumer dissatisfied with an order on the Internet. Credit: nicoletaionescu

Counterfeit smartphones are common on the platform and they are difficult to detect. These products which are only simple low-end copies are identical to the originals. Box, logo, operating system…, everything seems authentic, but the technical characteristics do not correspond to what is advertised:

• Memory ;
• Camera resolution;
• Etc.

So as not to be fooled, just avoid buying a smartphone on Leboncoin. If you are looking for a second-hand phone, ask for the purchase invoice and/or an identity document.

9 – Pay attention to repeated setbacks

A bored man talking about an ad on the phone. Credit: Liubomyr Vorona

The blow of repeated impediments has already claimed victims on Leboncoin. If, on several occasions, the seller tells you that he was unable to attend the appointment, beware. Its objective is to find your weak point and push you to pay a deposit. If several appointments have been canceled, stop everything.

10 – Payment by bank transfer

A buyer is about to pay by bank transfer. Credit: Tero Vesalainen

New scammers are trying to steal your money by offering payment by bank transfer. The scammer poses as a buyer and asks that you provide him with your bank details, which he will use for fraudulent purposes. It can be various levies using this information. Indeed, with some suppliers (telephony, internet, etc.), direct debits can be made with a bank account statement. Morality: do not accept payment by bank transfer . Prefer a secure payment system such as PayPal for example.

11 – Advance shipping scam

Online shipping cost calculation. Credit: Tevarak

If you sell an item on Leboncoin and the buyer offers to pay additional shipping costs on the pretext that he needs the product quickly, beware. You may receive an email that appears to come from a secure payment site such as PayPal for example. In reality, it is a fake email to make you believe that you have been credited, but it is not. You risk shipping your product and losing it forever, without any payment in return.

12 – Apartment visit fees

A realtor in a suit showing a new apartment to a young couple. Credit: Prostock-Studio

You phoned an advertiser regarding an apartment for rent, but he says he is not in the same city and has to travel for the visit. To take you on a boat , he asks you if you are sure you want the accommodation, because he will have to pay travel expenses, then asks you for payment of the rent and the deposit by money transfer. Refuse any payment in advance , especially if you notice spelling mistakes and/or if the (fake) advertiser asks you to pay by Western Union.

13 – Theft of contact details and identity

Cybersecurity service against identity theft. Credit: Galeanu Mihai

Identity and contact theft is another form of scam encountered on Leboncoin. Scams of this type aim to locate your home address , in order to rob you. Scammers are particularly interested in sellers offering valuable items, such as a luxury car, jewelry, etc. Be careful, do not send any document containing clues that allow you to find your home, for example photos of the street or of a known place in the neighborhood. Also avoid providing your phone number.

14 – The fake SMS scam

A woman texting. Credit: Tero Vesalainen

Sellers have already been victims of this scam. The scammer sends you a fake SMS supposedly from the Leboncoin site to warn you that your product has been sold, and that you have been paid. Carelessly, you hasten to send the object, even though it has not been sold and no payment has been made.

15 – Fake Leboncoin secure payment system

A cybercriminal records the details of a bank account. Credit: Diy13

In order to steal your banking information and access your account, scammers use all possible tricks . They will try to redirect you to a page dedicated to the Leboncoin secure payment system, but this page is a fake website . If you make the mistake of entering your banking information, it will end up in the hands of scammers who will use it to take money.