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Etsy is a popular marketplace for online sellers, but is it a safe place to shop? Discover the most common Etsy scams that fraudsters use, how you can help protect against them, and what to do if you’re targeted. Then, get an ironclad online security app to guard against online threats, with features that scan your device for vulnerabilities, malware, and suspicious files and warn you if your apps start acting up.
Etsy is a legitimate online marketplace that connects people looking for unique, vintage, or handcrafted items with independent vendors. It was created in Brooklyn in 2005 and now hosts 96 million active buyers, who spend billions of dollars annually purchasing from nine million active sellers.
Etsy’s huge popularity is a green flag, highlighting its legitimacy. However, despite the abundance of reliable Etsy sellers, as with every online marketplace, scammers have also been known to use the platform to run fraudulent schemes.
It’s generally safe to buy from Etsy, provided you take proper precautions against the risk of being scammed. Fortunately, Etsy has some safeguards in place to protect buyers.
Etsy provides secure payment options including the proprietary Etsy Payments platform — which uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) to protect your data — as well as PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. These payment channels stop sellers from collecting your details, and your account information is encrypted to protect it from being compromised in a hacking incident.
Etsy Support also offers various recourse options that can help you recover from being scammed, including the Etsy Purchase Protection program. If you fall for a scam, you can file a report for Etsy to look into. They’ll make a decision as to whether your transaction was fair or not, and if the seller is shown to have violated policies, you could get a full refund.
While Etsy makes efforts to keep buyers safe, it’s important to remember that you’re not actually buying from Etsy, but from individual sellers. And, with millions of active sellers on the platform, it’s practically impossible for Etsy to catch each and every scammer.
Most Etsy scams are relatively easy to spot when you know what to look for. Read on to learn about some of the most common fraudulent schemes on the platform and get tips that will help you avoid them.
Some Etsy shops are fake fronts, set up by scammers who list items for sale in the hopes of enticing buyers into purchasing them. However, the “seller” behind these fake shops never intends to deliver the product, and probably doesn’t even have the product to sell.
Instead, they collect payment for incoming orders and then refuse to dispatch the product, ignore the buyer, or even close the shop entirely to make the refund process difficult.
Alternatively, the fraudulent seller might message the buyer to ask for credit card information or personal data, claiming that there’s a problem with the order. If they get access to this sensitive information, they can use it to hack online accounts, make fraudulent purchases, or commit identity theft.
How to protect against fake Etsy shop scams: Before making any purchases on Etsy, check the seller’s reviews to get an idea of their legitimacy. Don’t give away any personal or financial information to sellers, and always keep your transactions and communications on the Etsy platform.
Fraudulent Etsy shops might try to sell fake products, using misleading images and descriptions to misrepresent low-quality counterfeit items as high-quality designer products. An item advertised as a vintage Louis Vuitton handbag, for example, might be a cheap knock-off that’s only worth a fraction of the listed price.
How to protect against fake product scams on Etsy: Be cautious of designer items on Etsy that are priced way below their market value, as they could be fakes. Check reviews to assess their quality level or use a reverse image search to check if the product listing photos are stolen from elsewhere on the internet.
A typical bait-and-switch scam involves a seller advertising a product that’s very different from the item the buyer eventually receives. The product listing will typically feature a deceitful description and misleading images, deliberately misrepresenting the product’s materials, size, or quality level.
Bait-and-switch scams on Etsy are also sometimes used to portray a cheap, mass-produced product as handmade or unique. A buyer may be made to believe they’re purchasing a custom hand-embroidered blouse, for example, only to receive a generic product that’s available cheaper elsewhere.
How to protect against bait-and-switch scams on Etsy: Pay close attention to product descriptions before buying a product and look out for potentially misleading language. Also, check product reviews and associated images from previous buyers, looking out for complaints of misrepresentation.
Scammers running a wrong address scheme will purposely deliver products to the wrong address in order to generate “proof” of shipping. The address they choose will often be one they can access to reclaim the product, or one they know the product will be rejected from so it’s returned to them.
When the buyer realizes the product isn’t arriving and raises a claim, the “seller” has proof that the item was delivered, albeit to the wrong address. They try to use this proof in an attempt to avoid giving a refund, leaving the buyer out of pocket.
How to protect against wrong address scams on Etsy: Always double-check order confirmation details after purchasing on Etsy. If the listed address isn’t correct, contact the seller immediately and file a report with Etsy if they don’t respond.
Some fraudsters on Etsy encourage buyers to make payment for a purchase off-platform, using Venmo, cryptocurrency, or gift cards, for example. They may even offer a discount to do so. Regardless of what they say, do not pay for goods on Etsy using a payment platform that the company doesn’t approve. Etsy prohibits off-platform payments because they leave buyers unprotected in the event of a scam.
Purchases made using Etsy Payments are covered by the Etsy Purchase Protection program, qualifying buyers who have been scammed to refunds. But Etsy can’t track or verify the legitimacy of payments made off-platform, leaving scam victims with potentially no way to dispute fraudulent transactions or claim refunds.
How to protect against alternate payment scams on Etsy: Always use Etsy’s built-in payment options so your purchase is traceable and covered by the Etsy Purchase Protection program.
Sellers running a varying price scam list the same product multiple times, sometimes even across different platforms like eBay, with each listing having a different price. If a buyer tries to make a purchase from a cheaper listing, the seller might claim the item is out of stock in that particular shop but is available elsewhere.
They’ll then try to lure the buyer to another listing featuring a higher price than the original one, whether that’s on Etsy or another online marketplace.
How to protect against varying price scams on Etsy: Exercise caution if a seller tries to get you to purchase an item at a higher price through a secondary listing, especially if they encourage you to purchase through another platform.
Some Etsy scammers aim to direct buyers toward a malicious website used for pharming, where their browser or device can be infected with malware or their data can be compromised. There are various strategies they use to tempt buyers to leave Etsy, including claiming that a product is available cheaper off-platform.
How to protect against malicious website scams on Etsy: Whatever they promise, never leave Etsy for another website to oblige a seller. For an added layer of protection, make sure you have reliable antivirus software with online safety features installed on your device to help protect against malware and viruses.
Etsy sellers and buyers alike can be targeted by phishing or spoofing scams, with cybercriminals using diverse social engineering schemes in an attempt to steal sensitive personal or financial information.
Etsy users might get a message from someone claiming to be an Etsy representative, asking them to follow a link to an external website, provide their login information, or send their bank details.
These requests might be made under the pretense of account verification or scheduled security checks. But users who comply may find themselves exposed, with the scammer able to use the information they provided to get direct access to their personal and financial accounts.
To help protect users from these scams, Etsy labels all messages sent from official representatives with a special “From Etsy” badge under the subject line. Legitimate Etsy messages will also appear in the dedicated From Etsy folder in the messaging hub.
Any messages claiming to be sent from Etsy representatives that don’t meet these criteria are highly likely to be phishing or spoofing attempts.
How to protect against phishing or spoofing scams on Etsy: Always follow best practices with account logins, using a strong password and multi-factor authentication. Be on guard when you receive messages asking you to take immediate action regarding your account, and check for a “From Etsy” badge to ensure you’re speaking to an Etsy representative.
Understanding how the most common scams on Etsy work will help you know when you’re being targeted. There are other warning signs you can look out for, too, including these common traits of Etsy scams.
Although it’s not a foolproof method, inspecting an Etsy seller’s profile can help you assess their legitimacy. New, inactive, or unprofessional-looking profiles are all red flags that might indicate the seller is a scammer. In particular, be cautious when dealing with users whose profiles feature:
Poor grammar or an unprofessional appearance
Suspicious or inconsistent product listings
No reviews, or reviews that look suspiciously fake
Limited information about the shop or its owner
Images that appear to come from other sources
Generally speaking, legitimate sellers will take care to create complete, trustworthy profiles with personalized information about themselves and their business.
Pay close attention to the product description before making a purchase to make sure everything adds up. Some sellers will hide suspicious activity by using vague, misleading, or inconsistent language to describe what they’re selling.
Equally, after making an order check the confirmation email, shipping address, and package size carefully to make sure it matches the item you ordered. If anything looks suspect, contact the seller or Etsy support as soon as possible to report it.
If you find a product on Etsy that seems suspiciously cheap, cross-check it against similar items listed across other Etsy shops or online marketplaces. If the product listing has a significantly cheaper price than elsewhere, you may be dealing with a scammer.
A price that’s too good to be true could be an indication that the product is a counterfeit, or that the seller is trying to pull off a scam that means you never receive what you buy.
Any sellers that ask you to complete a transaction outside of Etsy’s secure payment platform, even if it’s using a supposedly “secure” payment channel, should be avoided. Only payments made on Etsy’s platform are eligible for the Etsy Purchase Protection program.
Taking your transaction off-platform puts you at risk of being scammed out of your money or having your financial details stolen.
Scammers who use fake or misleading product listings to trick people will often take images from elsewhere on the web to make their product look more legitimate. If you’re ever suspicious about an image used on a product listing, use a reverse image search to check if it originates from elsewhere.
If you find the exact same images on another shop, whether it’s somewhere else on Etsy, another online marketplace, or a first-party retailer’s website, it’s probably a sign you’re not dealing with a reliable Etsy seller.
Always avoid purchasing items from sellers who try to redirect you to an external website, even if you’re tempted by lower prices. Following links in direct messages could lead you to malicious websites where you’re at risk of being exposed to malware or having your personal data stolen.
Scammers using fake links don’t only live on Etsy — they’re all over the web. That’s just one reason why you should download Avast Free Antivirus. It helps block malicious links and websites, alerts you if it finds that your info has been exposed in a data breach, and lets you connect more safely to Wi-Fi networks. Download it for free today and go about your Etsy shopping more confidently.
You should always check a seller’s reviews before purchasing from them. Sometimes you’ll find lots of negative reviews warning of untrustworthy activity, which is a clear red flag. However, even shops with lots of good reviews may be inauthentic.
Check if the reviews use repetitive language or were all posted around the same time, both signs that they may be fake. If you’re ever in doubt, it’s generally best to err on the side of caution and find another seller who has a more convincing review profile.
Etsy offers a messaging platform you can use to contact sellers directly, before or after making a purchase. You can use this to check up on any concerns you may have about a product listing or a transaction.
Be cautious if the seller takes a long time to reply or avoids questions, as legitimate sellers will usually respond promptly and answer any queries you may have about their policies or products.
Reliable Etsy sellers will provide you with their shipping costs and delivery timeframes upfront. In some cases, such as for international purchases or custom, made-to-order items, the shipping cost can be higher or delivery time can be longer than usual.
However, high delivery costs or long delivery timeframes can also be signs of a potential scam. For example, if you live in the U.S. and an item is described as being made in and shipped from the U.S. but the delivery information says it’ll take four weeks to arrive, there’s a chance you’re being duped by a misleading product description.
Etsy sellers don’t have any reason to request personal information from you directly. When you place an order, Etsy collects all of the necessary details and passes only relevant data on to the seller while protecting sensitive information like your banking or credit card details.
While sellers might have questions specific to the product, especially if they’re selling customizable items, you’ll never have to share information like your contact details or logins. If the seller tries to get sensitive information from you, claiming it’s needed to process the payment or complete the order, you’re likely dealing with a fraudster.
If you’ve fallen for an Etsy scam, there are some actions you can take to try and recover lost funds, protect your personal details, and prevent the scammer from causing further damage.
Contact the seller: According to Etsy’s buyer policy, the first step you should take if you have any issues with an order is to contact the seller. If they’re legitimate, they’ll work with you to resolve your problem.
Open a case with Etsy: If the seller doesn’t resolve the issue to your satisfaction within 48 hours, you can open a case with Etsy’s support team. Etsy’s Purchase Protection program offers refunds on eligible orders where the item wasn’t delivered or isn’t as described in the listing.
File a chargeback: If you’re unable to get your money back with Etsy’s help, you can try to file a chargeback with your bank or credit card company, citing the seller’s fraudulent activity.
Update your security: If you’ve shared personal information with another Etsy user, change your password and make sure multi-factor authentication is enabled for any potentially compromised accounts.
Freeze your credit: If you suspect your personal or financial data has been compromised, you can freeze your credit with the major credit bureaus to prevent the scammer from opening new lines of credit in your name.
Monitor your statements: Keep a close eye on your financial statements in the weeks or months following the incident. If you notice any suspicious or unauthorized activity, report it to your bank or credit provider immediately.
Report the scam: Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Etsy’s Purchase Protection program gives buyers the right to claim a refund in case of “non-delivery, late delivery, damage, or if an item you receive is not as described in the listing.” A refund is not guaranteed in all cases, but Etsy will mediate the dispute and make a decision. If they decide in favor of the buyer, Etsy will refund the total amount for the item and shipping cost.
Make sure to check all details before making a purchase on Etsy, as some items may be excluded from the refund policy. Also, keep in mind other limitations of the Purchase Protection program, like payments made off-platform or cases where the item has already been used or altered by the buyer.
Keeping your personal data safe is paramount when making online purchases on platforms like Etsy. That includes protecting yourself against the risk of your device, and all of the information it contains, being compromised.
Avast Free Antivirus provides comprehensive device security, including award-winning antivirus security, Wi-Fi network protection, and a range of tools to help keep you safer online.
Etsy offers diverse payment options including using credit or debit cards. Most major credit cards are accepted, including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. Buyers can also choose to pay via PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Etsy requires sellers to share their tax information for legal purposes, which for U.S.-based sellers includes providing a Social Security number. However, you will only be required to enter your SSN when you’re setting up a seller account, and Etsy will never ask you to send it in a message. Buyers will never have to provide their Social Security number to Etsy, nor to an Etsy seller.
Provided you verify that you’re purchasing items from a legitimate seller and not a scammer, there are no cons to buying on Etsy that are different from any other marketplace. Generally speaking, Etsy is a trustworthy platform that can help you find unique items.
