Buying and selling safely
See it. Meet them. Then pay.
Almost every problem on local classifieds starts with paying for something you haven’t seen. Keep it local and in person and you avoid nearly all of them. There are no payments on Thanet Market, so anyone asking you to pay through the site is not us.
Before you meet
- Keep chatting in Thanet Market Messages so there’s a record.
- Ask for an extra photo or a short video if you’re unsure.
- Check the seller’s profile: how long they’ve been here, and their badges.
When you meet
- Meet somewhere busy in daylight, like a supermarket car park.
- For big items collected from a home, bring someone with you.
- Tell a friend where you’re going.
Paying
- Pay in cash or by bank transfer only once you’re standing with the item.
- Never pay a deposit to “hold” something.
- Count cash in front of each other and check notes if it’s a large amount.
Walk away if they…
- ask for a deposit first
- want to use a courier
- send a payment link
- ask for a verification code
- push you to move to WhatsApp
- offer more than the asking price
Messages that mention couriers, deposits or payment apps get a warning banner, and links or phone numbers from brand-new accounts are held until a person has checked them.
If you’re selling
- Don’t accept cheques or screenshots as proof of payment. Check your own banking app.
- Never share a code that’s been texted to you, even to “prove you’re real”.
- Say when you’re in on the ad, and tap “We met in person” after a sale to build your record.
Renting a room or flat
- Never send money before you’ve viewed it and met the landlord or agent.
- Landlords here have their ID checked. Look for the badge on the ad.
- By law a deposit can’t be more than five weeks’ rent, and nobody can ask you to bid.
Buying a car or van
- Check the V5C logbook is in the seller’s name and matches the address.
- Look up the free MOT history and check the mileage adds up.
- View it at the seller’s home, not a lay-by or car park.
We keep a list of busy, well-lit places with CCTV in each town.Safe meet-up spots
Use “Report this ad” on any listing, or the Block button in Messages. A person reads every report. If you’ve lost money, call your bank first, then tell Action Fraud.Report an ad