A scam on Vinted has harmed hundreds of users from their entire digital wallet. Sums of up to several hundred euros were lost.
That it was not the (bad) surprise of hundreds of Vinted users in recent days: their wallet that they have on the online clothing sales platform has simply been emptied. The tens or hundreds of euros obtained after having sold business to other people, via a secure transaction, directly on the internet, are gone in a snap of the finger. The information was revealed by The Parisianfollowing several testimonials discovered on the platform’s forum, also received by the host of an Instagram account which lists “the nuggets of Vinted”, herself a former employee of the company.
Vinted announces compensation
What is the amount of damage? Impossible to know. The company is walled in silence. Thousands of euros? It is certain, so many testimonies advance significant losses (800€ for a user). Above all, they are several hundred to have been victims of the scam. The money would have gone to Germany, Luxembourg or even Ireland with regard to the first characters of the bank accounts receiving the transfers.
The process of the latter is vague. Sometimes phishing (fake email or SMS from Vinted with a link on which you ask to click), sometimes a direct maneuver by fraudsters. According to Vinted, “the connection information used (usernames, passwords, etc.) was obtained from data consulted elsewhere outside the platform and not linked to Vinted.” The company therefore disclaims all responsibility and claims that the injured users were injured after being the victim of another cyberattack elsewhere on internal. Vinted indicates to the Parisian that compensation will be paid “in the event of money lost on the wallet.”
Blocked accounts to freeze money transfers
Beyond diverting money from users of the platform, the thugs would have recovered bank details to carry out other operations. Mass withdrawals of credit card numbers and attempts to deposit the balance of the digital wallet to a secure bank account are carried out by users. However, “Vinted has interrupted payments in order to stop the wave of scams and gain time to recover the earnings of stolen people” specifies the account “Les nuggets de Vinted”. Who adds: “Don’t panic either if you haven’t received the usual email confirming that your payment has been taken into account.”
On the Vinted forum, many users who are victims of the scam indicate that they have contacted the platform’s services, without return, and that their account has since been blocked. This is normal according to “Les nuggets de Vinted”: “When they block accounts, it is to freeze money transfers. They are in the process of securing them. the account owner to request proof of identity.” At this time, it will then be possible to recover his account… and his money.