Feet Pic Scams: 7 Red Flags and How to Avoid Them

New sellers are the main target for scams, because they have not seen the patterns yet. The good news is that there are only a handful, and they repeat. If a message matches one of the seven below, you do not need to work out whether this particular buyer is genuine. Decline and move on.

1. The Buyer Wants to Leave the Platform

"Message me on another app, it is easier." This is how most scams begin. Away from the marketplace there is no payment protection, no record of the conversation, and nobody to report to. Real buyers are happy to stay where they found you.

2. The Overpayment

The buyer "accidentally" sends too much and asks you to refund the difference. The original payment then fails or is reversed, and the refund you sent is gone. Nobody overpays a stranger by mistake. Never send money to a buyer.

3. Gift Cards and Unusual Payment Methods

Offers to pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency from an unknown wallet, or a cheque are a warning sign. So are requests that you buy a gift card first to "activate" a payment. These methods are chosen because they are hard to trace and impossible to dispute.

4. The Verification or Release Fee

"I have sent $300, you just need to pay a $25 fee to release it." There is no such fee. A genuine payment never requires the seller to pay first. The same goes for anyone asking for your bank login or card details in order to pay you.

5. The Free Sample

"Send one photo so I know you are real." Verified marketplaces already confirm that sellers are real. Your public previews are the sample. People who ask for free content generally keep asking and never buy.

6. The Fake Payment Screenshot

A screenshot is not a payment. Images of "successful transfers" are easy to fake. Only trust the balance shown inside your own account, and only deliver once the money appears there.

7. Suspicious Links

Links that claim to be a payment page, a "verification portal" or a file you need to open can lead to fake login pages built to steal your password. Do not sign in anywhere through a link a buyer sent you. Open the site yourself instead.

The Three Rules That Cover Everything

1. Stay on the platform. Messages, payment and delivery all happen in one place.
2. Payment first, content second. Deliver only after the money shows in your account.
3. Never send money or personal details to a buyer. No refunds of overpayments, no fees, no bank information.

What to Do if You Spot One

Do not argue and do not explain. Stop replying, report the account using the platform's report button, and block it. Reporting matters because the same person is usually messaging other new sellers too. For the privacy side of staying safe, read our anonymity checklist.