Staying Safe from Scammers

Keeping the community safe is a top priority for VarageSale. While most members use the platform honestly, it is important for everyone to know how to identify and report potential scammers. Official VarageSale admins and team members can always be identified by the green crown badge next to their name. Members without this badge are not part of the official team. Official team members will never ask members to click on external links, provide payment verification, or share banking information. 

How to Identify a Scammer:
Scammers often try to rush or pressure members, offer deals that seem too good to be true, or insist on moving conversations off VarageSale. They may request deposits or any type of upfront payment outside of a face-to-face transaction. Requests for sensitive banking information or communication via email, text, or another app are major red flags. Members are encouraged to trust their instincts—if something feels suspicious, it should be treated with caution and reported.

For protection, all transactions should take place in person, with payment preferably made in cash at the time of exchange. Deposits and holds are against VarageSale’s Terms of Service and should not be accepted.

Members should also keep their passwords updated regularly and use strong, unique passwords to help protect their accounts from unauthorized access.

Key Safety Guidelines:

*Members should look for the green crown badge to identify official VarageSale team members

*Members should never click external links or provide payment verification

*Members should not share banking or sensitive financial information

*Transactions should be conducted in person and paid in cash

*Deposits and holds are not permitted

*All communication should remain on VarageSale

*Members should be cautious of rushed, high-pressure, or too-good-to-be-true offers

*Members should keep their passwords updated and secure

If a member encounters a suspicious message, listing, or account, they should report it immediately using the “Report User” feature in the app or by contacting the Help Desk team. Reporting enables VarageSale to remove bad actors and maintain a safe community for everyone.