{"id":69992,"date":"2023-12-09T12:06:11","date_gmt":"2023-12-09T12:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/likecelebwn.com\/?p=69992"},"modified":"2023-12-09T12:06:11","modified_gmt":"2023-12-09T12:06:11","slug":"i-bought-315-dior-bag-on-vinted-but-within-days-i-feared-for-my-life-inside-the-hell-of-shocking-seller-disputes-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/likecelebwn.com\/lifestyle\/i-bought-315-dior-bag-on-vinted-but-within-days-i-feared-for-my-life-inside-the-hell-of-shocking-seller-disputes-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"I bought \u00a3315 'Dior' bag on Vinted but within days I feared for my life – inside the \u2018hell\u2019 of shocking seller disputes | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"
ONLINE shopper Sarah Yates* was devastated when she realised the designer Dior handbag she had bought for \u00a3315 on Vinted wasn't genuine.<\/p>\n
When she opened the bag, she could only find a strange receipt inside. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The authenticity card that proved it was genuine was nowhere to be found.<\/p>\n
Sarah, a customer relationship manager from London, politely messaged the seller asking what had happened, and when she didn't hear back, she reported it to Vinted and requested a refund.<\/p>\n
The 38-year-old never got a reply from Vinted. <\/p>\n
But within hours, she had received a barrage of threatening messages from the seller, including a photograph of them holding a handgun.<\/p>\n
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"Cancel the dispute immediately and don't make me angry or I guarantee you won't survive this Saturday," the seller said in one message.<\/p>\n
The next day, they said: "Don't let me catch you, I will make your whole family pay the price."<\/p>\n
While she didn't really believe the death threats at first, Sarah felt increasingly uneasy as the "insane" messages continued because she knew the seller had her address.<\/p>\n
"When I contacted Vinted asking them to get involved and send the police the abuser's details, I just got radio silence, even though there was a clear danger to my life," she said.<\/p>\n
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Online marketplaces such as Vinted and Depop work slightly differently to regular online shops.<\/p>\n
Rather than selling goods directly to customers, they provide a platform for users to buy, sell or exchange items with one another and communicate via an in-app chat.<\/p>\n
When someone buys an item on the platform, the seller is given their address in order to post it to them.<\/p>\n
However, this setup puts buyers at risk if any issues arise, while the largely un-monitored in-app chats leave users vulnerable to verbal abuse.<\/p>\n
But going forward, The Sun has learned online marketplaces will come under new government rules requiring them to protect users – or face huge fines.<\/p>\n
It comes amid a rise in threatening messages sent via in-app chats on these platforms, with some users left fearing for their lives after sellers have threatened to show up at their homes.<\/p>\n
Business strategist Emily Smith*, 36, was also sent a photograph of a gun after reporting a fake designer handbag to Vinted.<\/p>\n
The mum, from Birmingham, said: "The police said Vinted's co-operation was really hard to keep up with, and in the end no one was punished for the hell I was put through."<\/p>\n
Another user posted on the Reddit thread r\/Vinted in November this year that they reported death threats and a photograph of a seller holding a gun to Vinted and never received any response.<\/p>\n
Ashley Jones*, from London, was verbally abused and threatened on Vinted by a buyer who wasn't happy with the item she received.<\/p>\n
Ashley, 25, said: "I reached out four separate times to Vinted's customer services team, but they just responded with automated links that had nothing to do with what I was trying to report."<\/p>\n
Some Depop users have reported similar experiences of sellers threatening to turn up at their homes or sending abusive messages.<\/p>\n
Posting on forum Reddit, one Depop user shared a message they had received from a seller after reporting a fake item, which said: "Your full name, home address, phone number etc is at my will, I certainly would not like to take a trip to see you, as I'm sure you would not be too fond of it either."<\/p>\n
Tom Blok, who runs Complain.Biz, a website for reporting poor customer service, told The Sun he has seen a "worrisome trend" of buyers receiving threatening messages over the last few months.<\/p>\n
"We've seen several users reporting receiving death threats after disputes with sellers, and the complaints from many Vinted users suggest a common feeling of being ignored and sidelined by automated messages," he said.<\/p>\n
"When someone sends threats to harm a family, accompanied by photos of firearms and their address, the warning bells should be deafening.<\/p>\n
"Platforms meeting genuine concerns with silence or automated apathy is unacceptable."<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Vinted said: "We would like to reassure members that they can report any concerns to us via the app quickly and easily for us to\u00a0act\u00a0on as soon as possible. <\/p>\n
"In some cases, we also encourage members to reach out to law enforcement and we remain ready to support all police enquiries when they contact us."<\/p>\n
Responding to Sarah's case, the spokesperson added: "In this case, we didn\u2019t provide the level of personal support the member deserved and we sincerely apologise for that. <\/p>\n
"We would like to confirm that we have taken the necessary actions and\u00a0we will cooperate with all police enquiries when they contact us."<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Depop added: "Depop\u00a0has a zero tolerance\u00a0approach to predatory or abusive behaviour of any kind.<\/p>\n
"We encourage users to report any situations that make them feel unsafe, via the easy-to-use reporting function in-app – the three dots in the top right hand corner."<\/p>\n
*Names have been changed to protect users' identities.<\/p>\n
What are the new rules to protect online shoppers?<\/h2>\n
Amid a rise in abuse online, the government recently introduced new rules which will force tech platforms to better protect users or face huge fines going forward.<\/p>\n
The Online Safety Bill, which was passed into law at the end of October, covers all online platforms where customers can interact – including online marketplaces, The Sun understands.<\/p>\n
The bill will require these firms to take more responsibility for the content posted on their platforms, including by removing harmful messages.<\/p>\n
Users should also expect to receive a swift and appropriate response if they raise concerns.<\/p>\n
Any company which fails to take reports seriously or remove harmful content could face an investigation and enforcement action of up to \u00a318million, or 10% of its annual revenue – whichever is higher.<\/p>\n
This means that in the future, these websites will have to deal with threats made on their platforms swiftly and effectively – or risk a hefty bill.<\/p>\n
A government spokesperson told The Sun: "The\u00a0Online\u00a0Safety Bill will hold social media platforms to account to proactively remove the most harmful illegal content, including harassment and\u00a0death\u00a0threats.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPlatforms will be required to identify and take down\u00a0online\u00a0criminal\u00a0threats\u00a0promptly and effectively, or face huge fines that could reach billions of pounds.\u201d<\/p>\n
What should I do if I receive a death threat?<\/h2>\n
Sending death threats is already illegal, so you should report any threatening messages to the police.<\/p>\n
You can call your local police force on 101 if you're being harassed or threatened online. Call 999 if you feel you're in immediate danger.<\/p>\n
If you don't feel comfortable making a phone call, you can fill in a crime incident form online here.<\/p>\n
Also notify the platform that you are using, as the police will need them to co-operate during any investigations.<\/p>\n
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The platform should also remove the content and take steps to help protect you from further abuse.<\/p>\n
Make sure to keep a paper trail of any messages you receive, and take screenshots if possible so you can show them to the police.<\/p>\n
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group\u00a0members.<\/strong><\/p>\n
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