Like another market, the social commerce platform has its share of pink flags. It pays to know what to search for so you possibly can store or promote with out complications.
19 Feb 2026
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5 min. learn
Social commerce has gone mainstream. In response to one estimate, the trade was on monitor to be price over $1.1 trillion globally in 2025, with over half of younger individuals shopping for on social media websites. However wherever cash and customers are to be discovered on-line, so are fraudsters and cybercriminals. So it’s with Poshmark: a well-liked California-based social commerce platform that enables customers to commerce new and second-hand objects reminiscent of clothes, equipment, and residential items.
Whether or not you’re shopping for or promoting on the app, it’s vital to do not forget that scammers are all over the place – and so they need your knowledge, your cash and your items.
Why is Poshmark a scammer’s favourite?
Poshmark has turn into a well-liked goal for scammers as a result of a number of elements.
Excessive fee price
A 20% Poshmark fee for objects over $15 means customers are solely too glad to finish offers off the platform. The issue is that scammers know this, and can typically recommend that they accomplish that, which exposes victims to phishing, pretend cost affirmation and different varieties of fraud.
Counterfeit items
Poshmark customers primarily commerce in trend objects, particularly on the luxurious finish of the market, that means many are uncovered to counterfeits. Though Poshmark will authenticate sure objects as a part of its value-add providers, it solely does so for items over $500.
Vendor beware
Poshmark affords Posh Defend, that means that patrons obtain a full refund if their merchandise by no means ships or doesn’t match the itemizing description. However what if it’s the patrons who’re the unhealthy guys? Sellers could be focused by refund scams claiming objects are lacking or broken.
One-and-done accounts
It’s simple to open an account on Poshmark. However that ease-of-use and onboarding means it’s easy for scammers to create new accounts that are solely used (fraudulently) as soon as.
Restricted communications
Poshmark doesn’t enable customers to talk privately – solely by way of public feedback on listings. This creates a possibility for scammers to maneuver conversations off platform as quickly as attainable, the place victims are extra uncovered.
What are the most typical scams?
Look out for the next:
Phishing
Fraudsters ship you emails purporting to return from Poshmark, however that are designed to elicit private, monetary and log-in data, or trick you into putting in malware. They may attempt to create a way of urgency to hurry you into making a poor choice by claiming your account will probably be deactivated, or that they should verify a non-existent transaction you made.
Alternatively, scammers posing as patrons or sellers would possibly recommend shifting a transaction off platform. They may say it’s price doing this to keep away from the 20% fee, or that photographs of your product aren’t loading correctly. As soon as it has moved to e mail/cellular, they could ship you a phishing message designed to put in malware or steal persona/monetary information.
Some customers have additionally reported scammers posting malicious or suspicious hyperlinks within the app.
Off-platform cost rip-off
Much like the above, a purchaser or vendor suggests shifting the transaction off Poshmark to keep away from paying the 20% fee. However this implies that you could be be vulnerable to paying with out receiving an merchandise. Or transport an merchandise, having been despatched a fraudulent cost affirmation.
Non-delivery scams
Consumers buy a bundle of things out of your “closet” and declare one or some are lacking. Poshmark often calls for a refund and return, however this implies the scammer retains the unique objects they claimed have been lacking. One other variation is for the client to buy an merchandise with high-value equipment which they declare didn’t arrive, and find yourself retaining (eg controllers for a gaming console).
Poshmark assist scams
A purchaser contacts you with a phishing hyperlink purporting to return from Poshmark assist claiming there’s an issue along with your transaction. Following it might result in a malicious obtain or phishing web page.
Counterfeit scams
This one can work each methods. Consumers would possibly declare that the merchandise you shipped was broken, and ship again an inferior or counterfeit model of that merchandise. With out proof, you must reimburse them, and so they get to maintain the unique. Alternatively, a vendor would possibly promote a counterfeit merchandise for slightly below the $500 threshold, over which Poshmark checks for authenticity.
Easy methods to spot a Poshmark rip-off
The excellent news is that, with a couple of golden guidelines in thoughts when utilizing the location, you possibly can avoid the scammers. They’ll often attempt to get you off the location a technique or one other, and/or ship malicious hyperlinks masquerading as reputable messages and alerts. Consumers may strain you into transport an merchandise, even offering pretend screenshots of cost affirmation, earlier than funds clear in your Poshmark account.
On the opposite facet, scammers could promote objects at slightly below the $500 threshold for authenticity checks, or at a worth that appears too good to be true. Additionally look out for generic descriptions and inventory pictures – a positive signal of counterfeit objects.
What to do when you acquired scammed
An important factor to recollect is that Poshmark will solely step in in case your total transaction has been accomplished on the platform.
Consumers
You solely have three days after supply to complain about an merchandise. Open a case and add pictures of the merchandise (within the case of broken/counterfeit claims). If an merchandise by no means arrived, contact Poshmark assist with the related monitoring particulars. Posh Defend will cowl all misplaced packages shipped with their pay as you go label.
Go to: My Purchases – choose the order – Issues/Order Inquiry – Choose purpose – Add proof.
Sellers
Your greatest safety in opposition to purchaser fraud is to doc every little thing (pictures, tags, packaging, serial numbers and a photograph of an merchandise with the Poshmark label on it).
It’s additionally attainable to report fraud (even when you received’t be reimbursed) by going to the rip-off account – Motion Menu – Report Consumer.
Contact your financial institution/card supplier to report any fraudulent transactions. And if it was a high-value merchandise, contemplate submitting a report with the FTC.
Staying secure on Poshmark
In fact, it’s higher by no means to get right into a place the place you must attempt to recoup losses. Make sure you at all times keep on the Poshmark app, verify the profile of any purchaser or vendor you’re considering of transacting with (together with “love notes”), and keep away from following hyperlinks off platform. Additionally, by no means belief screenshotted cost affirmation.
Above all, do not forget that if one thing seems to be too good to be true, it often is. There could also be bargains available on social commerce platforms like Poshmark. However there are additionally scammers circling in rising numbers.
