Selling on Carousell and the "buyer" sends a link or asks for my details

Selling on Carousell and the "buyer" sends a link or asks for my details

You list an old phone, a pram or a sofa on Carousell or Facebook Marketplace. Within minutes a buyer agrees to your price without haggling. Then they move the chat to WhatsApp or Telegram and send a link: "I've paid through the platform's protection, click here to receive your money", or "the courier needs you to confirm delivery here". The page looks like Carousell, SingPost or a bank. It asks for your card details, your bank login or an OTP. This is the fake buyer scam, and the buyer never wanted your item, only your banking details. The rule: as a seller, you never need to enter card details, log in or give an OTP to receive money.

How does the fake buyer scam work?

1. An eager buyer. They accept your price immediately, sometimes even offer more, and claim to be overseas, busy or sending a courier.
2. Off-platform chat. They ask to continue on WhatsApp or Telegram, away from the marketplace's protections and reports.
3. The fake link. They send a link to a page that imitates the marketplace's payment protection, a courier or a bank, saying your money is "waiting to be released".
4. The data grab. To "receive" the money, the page asks for your card number, CVV, expiry date, bank login or OTP. With these, the scammer spends or transfers your money instead of paying you.
5. The follow-up. If the first attempt fails, a "customer service agent" calls or messages to "help", asking for the next code.

Other variants include a fake payment screenshot, an "overpayment" refund request, or a request for your Singpass or NRIC "for verification".

How do I tell the buyer is fake?

• They agree too fast and do not ask about the item.
• They insist on leaving the platform's chat.
• They send a link to receive money. Receiving a PayNow transfer only needs your PayNow mobile number or UEN; nothing for you to click.
• The link's domain is not the platform's (watch for extra words, hyphens or odd extensions).
• They ask for card details, CVV, OTPs, bank logins or Singpass.
• They push urgency: "the payment will expire in 15 minutes".
• New profile with no reviews, or a profile created recently.

What do I do right now?

1. Do not click the link. If you already opened it, close it without entering anything.
2. Keep the conversation on the platform and use only its official payment and delivery options, or deal face-to-face in a public place.
3. Confirm any payment in your own banking app, never through a link or screenshot.
4. Block and report the buyer in the marketplace and through ScamShield.
5. If you are unsure, call the ScamShield Helpline on 1799.

What if I've already entered my details or a code?

1. Call your bank immediately on the number on your card or in its app. Ask them to block the card and check recent transactions. If you entered online banking details, use your bank's emergency "kill switch" to freeze your accounts.
2. Change your passwords for online banking and email from a clean device.
3. If you gave your Singpass details, reset your password and review your account activity.
4. Keep evidence: the listing, the chat, the buyer's profile and the link (copied, not opened).
5. Make a police report via SPF e-services and follow ScamShield's I've been scammed checklist.

Where do I report it?

Report the buyer to the marketplace, the number through ScamShield, and make a police report if you lost money or gave banking details. You can also report the number in the spam numbers directory.

Frequently asked questions

The page looked exactly like Carousell. How do I know it was fake? Look at the full web address. Scam pages copy logos and layouts perfectly, but they cannot use the real domain. When in doubt, open the official app yourself.

The buyer says the platform requires me to "verify" my bank account. Is that true? No legitimate buyer process asks a seller to log in to their bank through a link sent by the buyer.

Is meeting in person safer? For local items it usually is: meet in a public place, check the money has arrived in your banking app before handing over the item.

Can I still sell online safely? Yes. Keep the chat on the platform, use official payment options, check payments in your own banking app, and never share codes.

In short

A buyer who sends a link to "receive" money is not a buyer. Keep the deal on the platform, never enter card details, bank logins or OTPs to get paid, and check payments in your own app. If you already entered details, call your bank and make a police report. And report the number in the NoCall spam numbers directory.