Staying safe when selling to strangers

Meet in a public place

A busy café, a supermarket car park, or a shopping centre entrance are all good choices. Avoid meeting at your home address or the buyer's home — especially for a first meeting. If you must hand over a large item that can't be moved easily, see tip 5.

Don't put your home address in your ad

Your selling card should only include the neighbourhood or district — enough for buyers to know whether collection is practical for them, but not enough to identify your front door. 'Dubai Marina' or 'Hackney, London' is plenty. Share the precise address only once you've had a proper exchange with the buyer and feel comfortable.

Tell someone where you're going

Before a meetup, let a friend or family member know the location, time, and the buyer's contact details. A quick message — 'meeting someone at Waitrose on the high street at 2pm, back by 3' — takes ten seconds and means someone knows where you are.

Bring a friend if you can

Two people is always safer than one. If you're selling something valuable or meeting somewhere unfamiliar, ask a friend to come with you. It also makes loading larger items easier.

Home collections: set a specific time and stay present

Some items — a sofa, a washing machine, a wardrobe — have to be collected from your home. That's fine. Agree a specific collection window, make sure someone else is home with you if possible, and don't leave the buyer alone in any room. Move the item to near the front door before they arrive so they don't need to come further inside than necessary.

Meet during daylight hours

Daytime meetings are safer and easier. If a buyer can only meet late in the evening and keeps pushing for it, that's worth noting. Most legitimate buyers will be flexible.

Handle cash carefully

Cash is common for second-hand sales. Check notes under good lighting — counterfeit currency does circulate. For anything over a few hundred in value, consider asking for a bank transfer instead. Confirm the transfer has arrived before handing over the item.

Spot the common scams

• —Overpayment scam — the buyer 'accidentally' sends more than the asking price and asks you to refund the difference. The original payment later bounces. Never refund before funds have fully cleared.
• —Fake payment screenshot — especially common on WhatsApp. Always check your actual bank balance, not a screenshot.
• —Shipping scam — a buyer you've never met asks you to ship an item internationally and offers to pay via an unusual method. Stick to in-person sales for second-hand goods.
• —Too eager, no questions — a buyer who agrees immediately to your price without viewing the item or asking anything can be a red flag. Genuine buyers usually want to see it first.

Do a quick video call for high-value items

Before committing to a meeting for something worth a significant amount — a camera, a laptop, a bike — offer a short video call so the buyer can see the item. It filters out time-wasters and scammers quickly, and serious buyers won't mind.

Trust your instincts

If something feels off — the messages are strange, the buyer is vague about who they are, they keep changing the plan — it's fine to cancel. You don't owe anyone an explanation. Your safety matters more than the sale.