Spotting and avoiding scams
Red flags, common patterns, and the one rule that protects you from 95% of scams.
CrankMart's escrow flow eliminates most marketplace scams — if you stay inside it. The scams that work are the ones that talk you into stepping OUT of the protected flow.
The one rule
Never pay outside CrankMart's TradeSafe checkout. No EFTs, no instant-payment apps, no "I'll WhatsApp you my banking details". If the seller asks you to pay outside the platform, that's the scam.
Why this works: TradeSafe holds your funds in escrow until you confirm delivery. An external EFT has none of that protection — once you've EFT'd, the money is gone and the seller can vanish.
Red flags
From a seller
- 🚩 Price is suspiciously low for the item (30%+ below market for the same model/year)
- 🚩 Stock photos instead of their own photos of the actual item
- 🚩 "I'm overseas / abroad — courier will arrange" — they want to send a fake courier "email" asking for advance fees
- 🚩 Pushes you off CrankMart immediately ("WhatsApp me at this number, my CrankMart account is glitching")
- 🚩 Asks for EFT ("TradeSafe is too slow / too expensive / overcomplicated")
- 🚩 Brand new account with one listing and no other activity
- 🚩 Vague or evasive about details ("I'll send specs once you confirm interest")
From a buyer (for sellers)
- 🚩 Overpayment scams — buyer "accidentally" pays more and asks for the difference back
- 🚩 Fake payment confirmation emails — forwarded "TradeSafe payment received" that didn't actually happen (check your CrankMart account, not your email)
- 🚩 Pressure to ship before payment lands
- 🚩 Wants you to use a courier they specify that you've never heard of
- 🚩 Tries to negotiate down after agreeing on a price ("My budget changed — can you do R3,000?")
What a legitimate buyer / seller looks like
- Pays / lists through CrankMart's flow
- Asks specific, knowledgeable questions about the item
- Has been active on the platform — listings, ratings, or activity history
- Uses an SA mobile number that's been around for a while
- Doesn't pressure you on timing or money
If you've been scammed
- Inside CrankMart's flow: raise a dispute immediately at /account/orders. We freeze funds and investigate.
- Outside CrankMart's flow (EFT scam): unfortunately CrankMart can't recover funds. Report to your bank (some fraud reversals work within 24h), open a SAPS case, and report the user to us so we can ban them.
Reporting
- Listing-level scam: click the Report button on the listing
- Account-level concern: email support@crankmart.com with the username, what happened, and screenshots
- We respond within 24 hours to all scam reports
Trust signals to look for
- Verified seller badge (green ✓) — they completed TradeSafe identity + banking verification
- Member since date — long-tenured users are less likely to be one-shot scammers
- Active listings count — sellers with 5+ active listings have skin in the game
- Profile completeness — real photo, bio, location