Safety tips

Most people on Spotbly are honest. A small number aren't. These habits keep you ahead of them.

Meeting in person

Pick a busy, public place — a café, a train-station forecourt, a supermarket car park. Avoid your home or theirs for the first meeting.
Bring someone. A friend, family member, anyone. It changes the dynamic.
Tell a third party where you're going. Share your location for the duration of the meet.
Daytime is safer than night. Especially for high-value items.

Inspecting the item

See it work. Phones power on, laptops boot, cars start. If it doesn't, walk away.
Check the serial / IMEI against the receipt where you can. CheckMEND (UK) flags stolen phones.
Photos must match reality. If what you see in person differs significantly from the listing, leave.

Paying

Cash or instant bank transfer in person. Faster Payments clear in seconds — verify on your banking app before handing the item over.
Avoid gift cards, crypto, Western Union, or PayPal Friends & Family. These are how scammers get paid because the money is non-recoverable.
Be wary of overpayment scams ("I'll send extra, refund the difference"). It's always fraud.

Selling

Don't share your address until you've agreed to a sale and the buyer is on their way.
Wait for the money to clear — actually clear, in your account — before releasing the item.
Take a photo of the buyer's ID or registration plate for big-ticket items. They can refuse, in which case you can refuse the sale.

Online-only signals to walk away from

They refuse to meet in person, or push to use a courier they've arranged.
They want to pay above asking price for "shipping insurance" they'll cover.
They send a "payment confirmation" screenshot but the money never arrives. Always check your own bank app — never trust their screenshots.
They pressure you to act fast. Scammers want decisions made before you think.

If something goes wrong

Report the listing or the user via the Report button on every page. Reports are read by humans, based in the UK, usually within 24 hours.

If you've lost money or been threatened, report it to Action Fraud (England, Wales, NI) or Police Scotland. We will respond to a lawful information request from any UK police force.