{"id":2651,"date":"2026-02-14T12:33:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T12:33:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/help.markto.ch\/?post_type=manual_kb&#038;p=2651"},"modified":"2026-02-14T12:33:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T12:33:58","slug":"avoiding-common-payment-scams-in-local-classifieds","status":"publish","type":"manual_kb","link":"https:\/\/help.markto.ch\/fr\/knowledgebase\/avoiding-common-payment-scams-in-local-classifieds\/","title":{"rendered":"Avoiding Common Payment Scams in Local Classifieds"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Avoiding Common Payment Scams in Local Classifieds on markto.ch<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scams in Swiss classifieds like markto.ch are rare compared to international platforms, but they do happen \u2014 usually involving fake payments, advance fees, or shipping tricks. Here are the most common scams and how to spot\/avoid them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Scams &amp; Red Flags<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Advance payment \/ deposit requests<\/strong><br>\u201cI\u2019ll pay extra if you hold it \u2014 send me CHF 50 deposit via TWINT first.\u201d<br>\u2192 Never send money before meeting and inspecting the item. Legitimate buyers don\u2019t pay to reserve.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fake payment screenshots<\/strong><br>Buyer shows a forged TWINT\/Bank transfer screenshot before handover.<br>\u2192 Always verify live in your own app: wait for the real notification to arrive. Don\u2019t hand over the item until you see the money in your account.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u201cI\u2019ll pay via bank transfer \/ PayPal first\u201d then disappear<\/strong><br>Buyer claims they sent money, shows fake proof, takes item (or promises to).<br>\u2192 Never release the item until money is confirmed in your account (TWINT instant, bank same-bank instant). For different banks, wait for actual credit or stick to cash\/TWINT.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Overpayment scams<\/strong><br>\u201cI\u2019ll send CHF 300 for a CHF 180 item \u2014 send back the extra CHF 120 via TWINT.\u201d<br>The initial transfer is fake\/reversed later.<br>\u2192 Refuse any overpayment. Only accept the exact agreed amount.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shipping + full payment upfront<\/strong><br>\u201cI\u2019m abroad \/ can\u2019t pick up \u2014 pay shipping company first, I\u2019ll reimburse.\u201d<br>Or fake DHL\/Post CH links asking for payment.<br>\u2192 markto.ch is local-only. Never pay shipping fees or third parties. Insist on personal pickup only.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fake buyer\/seller profiles<\/strong><br>New account, no photo, generic name, pushes for quick payment without meeting.<br>\u2192 Check profile age, other ads, location consistency. Ask normal questions first.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u201cPayPal Friends &amp; Family\u201d from abroad<\/strong><br>Rare on markto.ch but appears: buyer wants PayPal, then claims issues and asks for bank details.<br>\u2192 Avoid PayPal entirely for local deals \u2014 stick to cash or TWINT.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Stay Safe \u2013 Quick Rules<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Inspect first, pay last<\/strong> \u2014 always check the item fully before any transfer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use cash or TWINT at handover<\/strong> \u2014 safest for locals (cash #1, TWINT #2).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Never send money first<\/strong> \u2014 no deposits, no fees, no advance transfers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Verify live<\/strong> \u2014 for TWINT\/bank: watch the notification come in on your phone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Meet in public<\/strong> \u2014 busy spots (Migros parking, train station, police lot).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Trust your gut<\/strong> \u2014 if pushy, evasive, or story changes \u2192 walk away.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Confirm in writing<\/strong> \u2014 screenshot final agreement (price, method, location, time).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Report suspicious users<\/strong> \u2014 flag the ad (\u201cMelden\u201d) or use footer \u201cKontaktieren Sie uns\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Safe Payment Flow Reminder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Agree price + method in chat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Meet public spot, daylight<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You inspect item thoroughly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Buyer sends TWINT \/ counts cash in front of you<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seller confirms receipt live<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Handover item<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both leave happy<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Follow these and you\u2019ll avoid 99% of scams. markto.ch deals are usually straightforward local trades \u2014 cash or TWINT in a busy parking lot keeps it simple and secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stay alert and trade safely! \ud83d\udee1\ufe0f<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","manualknowledgebasecat":[99],"manual_kb_tag":[],"class_list":["post-2651","manual_kb","type-manual_kb","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","manualknowledgebasecat-payment-and-transaction-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/help.markto.ch\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb\/2651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/help.markto.ch\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/help.markto.ch\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/manual_kb"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/help.markto.ch\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/help.markto.ch\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb\/2651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2652,"href":"https:\/\/help.markto.ch\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb\/2651\/revisions\/2652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/help.markto.ch\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"manualknowledgebasecat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/help.markto.ch\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manualknowledgebasecat?post=2651"},{"taxonomy":"manual_kb_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/help.markto.ch\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb_tag?post=2651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}