Warning ⚠️ Potential "Damaged Item" Scam – Watch out for this pattern!
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share a recent experience and put out a warning for all sellers, especially those shipping high-value items internationally.
I recently sold an amplifier for 3,300 SEK (~€300) to a buyer in Poland. Knowing how shipping can be, I was extremely thorough with the packaging: I used a layer of Aircap TL bubble wrap, six additional layers of heavy-duty bubble wrap, and even used towels and pillows to ensure it was completely fixed in place.
Despite this, the buyer claimed it arrived damaged. After a two-week dispute, Vinted ruled in the buyer's favor and issued a full refund. I spent those two weeks fighting with support, providing extensive photographic evidence of my packing process. Eventually, I was compensated for the shipping damage.
Here’s the red flag: The buyer now has a full refund and gets to keep the "damaged" amplifier. I reached out and offered to pay for a return shipping label myself just to get my item back, but the buyer has gone completely silent after reading the message.
I’ve been reading through several threads on Facebook and other forums, and it’s clear that many others have faced this exact situation. It seems to be a recurring pattern where buyers exploit the "damaged in transit" claim to get expensive electronics for free. I’ve seen cases where sellers who didn't have detailed packing photos lost both their money and their items entirely.
My question to the community: Should I just be happy that I got my compensation thanks to my photos, or should this behavior be reported/escalated further? It feels wrong that someone ends up with both the money and a high-end amplifier that likely only needs a simple fix.
Has anyone else dealt with this specific "silent treatment" after a refund?
TL;DR: Sold an expensive amp, buyer claimed damage, got a refund and kept the item. Now they’ve ghosted me when I offered to pay for the return. Document your packing, folks!