The seller asks for a downpayment before shipping. Is that normal or a scam?
For a stranger in a Facebook group or Marketplace, a downpayment before you have seen the item is a risk you should avoid, because the money is gone the moment the seller blocks you. A downpayment is only reasonable with a seller you can verify: a registered shop, a real address, years of reviews.
The common pattern: a bargain, a "many are asking, reserve now" message, a 50% downpayment by GCash, then silence or a new fee for "shipping" and "insurance". Pre-order sellers for phones, shoes and concert tickets use the same script.
Before you pay anything
- Prefer COD or payment inside a platform that holds the money until delivery.
- Search the seller's name, number and GCash name with "scammer" and "budol".
- Ask for a video of the item with today's date and your name written on paper.
- Check how old the profile is and whether other buyers have posted real photos of what they received.
- If you still want to pay a downpayment, keep it small and keep every receipt and message.
Frequently asked questions
- The seller said the downpayment is refundable. Does that help?
- Only if the seller exists and keeps their word. A refund promise from an anonymous account is worth nothing.
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