How to tell if an international online marketplace seller is a scam
Buyers struggle to verify whether overseas online shops are legitimate due to fears that orders will be misplaced or turn out to be fraudulent. Lacking clear proof of a seller's reliability leaves shoppers questioning whether it is safe to place an order or if they are walking into a scam.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 92.0× more often in r/Etsy than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Check reviews carefullyDid this help you?
- 2Reverse image search shop photosDid this help you?
- 3googling for local appliance part storesDid this help you?
- 4Using reverse image searches to check if photos are stolen or reused from elsewhere onlineDid this help you?
- 5Checking actual shipment records linked to the company nameDid this help you?
- 6Relying on video tours and referencesDid this help you?
- 7Checking review counts and user feedbackDid this help you?
- 8Inspecting listing photos for signs of AI generation or stock imageryDid this help you?
- 9Asking for recommendations on online discussion forumsDid this help you?
- 10Asking sellers for authentic photos or proof with handwritten notesDid this help you?
- 11Abandoning the purchase or walking away when ghosted or suspected of being a scamDid this help you?
- 12going to your local tailorDid this help you?
- 13visiting a menswear store that specializes in wedding attireDid this help you?
- 14going to a shop that does rentalsDid this help you?
- 15comparing shop review counts, sales numbers, and account creation datesDid this help you?
- 16checking for different backdrops and lighting in product photosDid this help you?
- 17Investigating the storefront's about section and official website for details on how and where items are madeDid this help you?
- 18Performing reverse image searches to find exact matches on drop shipping sitesDid this help you?
- 19Checking shop age, review count, and the presence of external social media profilesDid this help you?
- 20Looking into platform buyer guarantee policiesDid this help you?
- 21Checking if the item can be found anywhere elseDid this help you?
- 22Treading with caution and documenting everything upon arrivalDid this help you?
- 23Searching the forum for specific red flags or product keywords like cosplayDid this help you?
- 24Performing a reverse image search on product imagesDid this help you?
- 25Scrutinizing product images to see if they look AI-generatedDid this help you?
- 26Reading past reviews specifically looking for complaints about item quality or dropshippingDid this help you?
- 27Asking for recommendations on dedicated hobby forums instead of general marketplacesDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I just got my first dog as an adult. I love supporting smaller businesses and have been looking at etsy for handmade items (a collar, leash, beds, etc) but Etsy has gotten very untrustworthy.”source ↗
“I see more posts in this sub about scam shops in India than any other country.”source ↗
“Super confusing either way just trying not to get scammed or buy from someone who isn’t the original maker.”source ↗
“If I was so unsure about the legitimacy of a shop that I made a post about them, I wouldn't trust to buy from them. Clearly there is still something about them that gives you hesitation.”source ↗
“I recently bought from a new shop with 14 sales in 1 month. It turned out to be a huge scam. Only an empty packet was sent.”source ↗
“Can someone tell who has ordered anything or has knowledge about this .Is it safe to order or are there chances of getting order misplaced”source ↗
“currently hunting for a foxy cosplay, I barely use Etsy so I don’t know if this is legit. I did reverse image searching & the results all lead to Etsy, can someone confirm?”source ↗
“i have never bought from etsy before. No idea if this is legit ?”source ↗
“I messaged the owner and expressed my interest in potentially buying one of these costumes. Although I confronted him about the use of AI and he did admit they were using it because of the lack of photographer and studio access.”source ↗
“Even after I confronted them with these exact photos, even circling the imperfections, they claim no AI was used to create these photos.”source ↗
“I asked for some insider photos of what he described "The current batch at the workshop" along with a piece of paper with written words "this is real" to show proof that their work was authentic, I was ghosted.”source ↗
“It appears to be new with no reviews I can find. They are a made to measure company based in India. I am unsure if we should risk it, it is going to cost several hundred pounds, so I was hoping for some input from anyone familiar with the company.”source ↗
“I’m just curious as a person who really wants to buy from the artist or small business that made the actual item.”source ↗
“Hi, I am looking to buy a piece of furniture and can't decide if it's a scam or not.”source ↗
“Would you trust a seller who has only been on Etsy 21 Days and has 13 sales with 0 reviews? The item they’re selling is worth just over £200 and I’m a bit skeptical when it comes to larger purchases from fear of being scammed”source ↗
“this is my first time buying on etsy and im scared of getting scammed”source ↗
“Spent almost a month talking to a supplier who had clean photos, reasonable MOQs, and kept insisting they owned the production line.”source ↗
“Video calls looked fine, samples arrived on time, everything felt legitimate.”source ↗
“Then I started checking actual shipment records linked to their company name.”source ↗
“It saved me from a bad contract, but it also made me realize how easy it is to get fooled by a polished profile.”source ↗
“I’m looking to buy some parts for my Maytag dryer for the first time. Recommendations? Hopefully ones with quick shipping.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 7Why won't customers leave product reviews?
- 24Why is every online artisan marketplace full of fake and AI items?
- 5How do I spot scams as a new seller on online marketplaces?
- 2Is it safer to use PayPal or a credit card on unfamiliar websites?
- 3How to check if freelancer plugins or themes are cracked
- 5Can you trust any product photos online anymore?