How to Report Fraud on Gumtree (& Stop Getting Scammed)

Co-authored by Scott Nelson, JD and Amber Crain

Last Updated: July 18, 2022 References

Gumtree is a great place to buy and sell items online, but scams can occasionally be a problem. If you've been preyed upon by a scammer on Gumtree, you're probably feeling pretty upset about it. We get it! Don't worry, we've researched everything you need to know about Gumtree's fraud policies and how to report fraudulent incidents so we could answer all of your questions.

Question 1 of 6:

How do I contact Gumtree if I get scammed?

Go to Gumtree’s home page and click Contact Us. Because Gumtree’s website looks different depending on what country you live in, there’s no universal link we can share with you. You can notify Gumtree of fraud via email or live chat using their website, though! Just go to Gumtree's homepage, scroll to the bottom, and click “Contact Us.” Then:
- Scroll down past the FAQ’s
- Select "Reports and Safety” from the drop-down menu
- Scroll down and click on the red “Contact Us” button
- Fill in the requested details and click “Next”
- Fill in your contact information and click “Next”
- Select “Live Chat” or “Email” to communicate with Gumtree^{[1]
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Question 2 of 6:

Do I report the fraud to entities other than Gumtree?

Yes, report the fraud to your local police department. Go to your local police station or call the local non-emergency phone line to speak with a law enforcement officer. Explain what happened and provide all of the details you have. The police will decide if your case should be investigated as a crime or civil dispute and tell you what the next steps are.^{[2]
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- Tell the police to contact Gumtree if they need to investigate further.
- If you live in the UK, you can file an online report through Action Fraud. For more information, visit: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-and-cyber-crime.

Question 3 of 6:

How do I report a suspicious ad on Gumtree?

Click on the "Report” button directly underneath the seller’s name. If you’re looking at an ad that looks suspicious or fraudulent, you can report the ad right then and there using Gumtree’s online tool. Just click the “Report” button under the seller’s name to flag the ad as suspicious. Gumtree will get your notification and take it from there.^{[3]
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Question 4 of 6:

Does Gumtree offer Buyer Protection?

No, not at this time. If someone rips you off on Gumtree, try contacting the payment method you used, such as your bank, credit card company, or PayPal, to find out if they’ll refund your money. Explain the fraud circumstances in detail. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to pursue legal action if you want to be reimbursed.^{[4]
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- Pursuing legal action can be time-consuming and expensive. Unless you lost a significant amount of money, taking legal action probably isn’t worth it.

Question 5 of 6:

I’m a seller on Gumtree. What's a buyer scam?

This is when a buyer rips off a seller with fake proof of payment. If a buyer offers to purchase a pricey item from you and immediately messages you with “proof” of their electronic transfer payment, they're trying to pull a buyer scam on you. Usually, the buyer will either pressure you to ship the item immediately or send a driver to pick it up for them. The scammer makes off with your item and you never get the money.^{[5]
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- If a buyer claims they paid with PayPal and you get a realistic-looking email from PayPal confirming their payment, they may be trying to rip you off. Don't hand over the item until you see the payment in your PayPal account.
- These scammers tend to target high-value items like gaming consoles, tablets, phones, laptops, motorcycles, and cars.^{[6]
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Question 6 of 6:

What red flags should buyers watch for?

1
Texts or emails from "Gumtree" about updating your account are scams. These texts and emails can look really authentic, so it’s hard to spot them sometimes! The scammer will usually put pressure on you by saying that Gumtree plans to close your account immediately unless you comply. Do not click the link in this email or reply with any of your account information.^{[7]
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- Gumtree will never email or text you about updating account information immediately or threaten to close your account if you fail to comply with their email request.
2
Buying an item at a rock bottom price is probably a scam. Anytime an item is being offered at a price much lower than what other sellers are charging for the exact same item, there’s definitely something fishy going on. You may end up receiving a fake item or no item at all.^{[8]
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