Many consumers are still using their local Gumtree service to buy and sell products. In the past Gumtree has been the target of fraudsters with phishing scams, the sale of stolen goods and ads that are too good to be true. There has been issues with copycat Gumtree sites, so be aware of a web addresses that have spelling mistakes or no padlock in the address bar. A genuine Gumtree site will have the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) padlock in the address bar and will have the URL gumtree.com or my.gumtree.com.
For more information on how to identify dodgy classified ads click here or for Gumtree specific information click here.
Only certain things can be posted on Gumtree. You can find a full list of what is allowed here.
How do I report a suspicious listing on Gumtree?
If you would like to report a Gumtree ad you can do so by clicking on the Report button, which sits underneath the seller name and the email button in the box on the right-hand side of the product.
Once you have clicked on Report, a menu will appear with the following options:
- This is illegal/fraudulent
- This ad is spam
- This ad is duplicate
- This ad is in the wrong category
- The ad goes again posting rules
Most often, option 1 will be the most appropriate. Make sure you add plenty detail into the comments box.
You can also report a suspicious ad on Gumtree by emailing them directly at help@gumtree.com
For suspected stolen goods you should contact your local police or call 101. If you received phishing emails you can contact Action Fraud here.
Gumtree safe shopping tip
Communication on Gumtree usually happens via mobile phone, SMS or the Gumtree contact form. If a person has an email in their ad, or tries to get you to leave the Gumtree platform and contact them privately this could be a red flag and a way to steer you away from the Gumtree security system. If they ask you to contact them on a private email address be wary. If you are concerned, try to call them directly instead, or if you get a bad feeling, cancel the purchase as it could be suspicious.
Milo is pretty fierce. He knows how to get the marketplaces and social networks to behave. Scammers run and hide when he is near. Milo enjoys tuna and ham…together!
