Ever wondered how to buy and sell gaming collectibles safely online?
The world of collectibles selling online is huge. Everyday, people are making (and losing) serious money buying and selling rare video game cartridges, bundles, figurines, boxes and more.
And scammers are taking notice.
The reality of buying and selling gaming collectibles online right now is this:
There are scammers in every marketplace. They watch deals go live, look for both buyers and sellers who aren’t using common best practices, then swoop in to steal money or merchandise.
The good news? By learning and using scam prevention tips yourself, you can avoid becoming a victim.
Let’s dive into everything you need to know.
In this article you’ll learn:
- How Common Gaming Collectibles Fraud Is
- Big Red Flags That Should Warn You of a Scam
- Safe Buying Tips for Collectibles
- Safe Selling Tips for Collectibles
- Resources to Verify Collectibles Authenticity
How Common Gaming Collectibles Fraud Is
Millions of people buy and sell gaming collectibles online every year. Many will encounter some type of scam attempt.
Per FTC data from 2024, Americans lost over $12.5 billion to fraud. That’s UP 25% from last year. Online shopping was the 2nd most reported problem.
Pause for a second…
Billions Of Dollars Scammed Out Of People. And people who buy and sell expensive gaming collectibles online are especially at-risk.
Similar to what is seen in America, South Korea also experiences a huge amount of fraud. In Korean, there’s a term “먹튀”, which translates to “eating and running.” It refers to scam artists who take someone’s money and run.
먹튀검증 관련 정보 can be found through many resources but if you know the tips below to prevent scams, you’ll be ready to buy and sell worry-free.
Big Red Flags That Should Warn You of a Scam
Knowledge is power when it comes to scam prevention. If you can recognize a scam before it happens, you won’t fall victim to it.
Here are several red flags that should set off alarm bells when buying or selling gaming collectibles.
Unbelievable prices. Everyone likes a good deal. But if someone is selling a sealed copy of EarthBound for half of what other collectors are selling it for on eBay… there’s probably a reason. Repeat. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Pressure to complete a deal. Scammers will say things like “you have to buy now” or “someone else is interested in buying” in an effort to rush you. Don’t fall for it. Pressure is always a sign of a scam.
Request for unconventional payment. Buyers asking for payment in gift cards or wire transfers should raise suspicion. Once you send money via these methods, there’s no getting it back if it’s a scam. Ever.
Stock images or low-effort photos. Be wary of listings that use stock images or just really, really poor photos. Legitimate sellers aren’t ashamed to take clear pictures of the products they’re trying to sell.
New account with no sell history. Again, this isn’t always going to be true. Everyone has to start selling somewhere. But if you see a new account with zero activity and other red flags on their page… proceed with extreme caution.
Safe Buying Tips for Collectibles
Here are some safe buying tips to live by when you’re looking to purchase gaming collectibles online.
Get protection with your payment method. Use PayPal Goods and Services, your credit card, or marketplace protection whenever possible. Don’t ever send money to someone you don’t know through “friends and family.”
Look up the seller (or buyer) first. Don’t just trust that the person is who they say they are. Look through their feedback. See if they’re reported negatively on other forums or sites. Google their username and see what comes up.
Ask for photos (and videos) when buying. Want something someone else has listed? Ask for pictures. Don’t get pictures? Ask for a video of the item with their Full username displayed on screen. Verify the item is what you think it is BEFORE parting with money.
Fraud incidents increased 64% in the gaming industry year-over-year from 2022 to 2024 alone. As buyers and sellers, we need to be more careful than ever.
Meet in-person for local transactions. If you’re buying or selling locally, try to meet in public as often as possible. Some police stations have “safe exchange zones” specifically for buyers and sellers to meet.
Safe Selling Tips for Collectibles
Need to know how to sell safely? Scammers love targeting sellers as much as they do buyers.
Here are some safe selling tips to live by.
Document, photograph, and screenshot everything. You never know if a buyer is legitimate until after you’ve shipped your product. Take timestamped photos of the products you’re selling and record serial numbers when possible. Save conversation threads with buyers so you have proof of any agreements.
Ship with tracking (and insurance) on expensive products. Do NOT ship high-value collectibles without tracking information. If the buyer paid with PayPal, consider requiring a signature upon delivery as well.
Don’t fall for overpayment scams. “Buyers” will sometimes send you more than your asking price, then ask for the difference to be returned to them. When you try to refund that excess money, the original payment will bounce. You lose the item and the “extra” cash.
Don’t change your shipping address. Once a buyer pays you through PayPal or another escrow service, they may ask you to ship the product to a new address. This defeats the purpose of the payment protection. Don’t do it.
Don’t accept weird payment requests. Requesting portioned payments, separate invoices for taxes, or strange payment methods aren’t normal. Be wary of buyers who ask.
Resources to Verify Collectibles Authenticity
We live in a world with lots of tools at our disposal to prevent scams.
Price charts. Websites like PriceCharting track sales data for popular gaming collectibles. Use them to verify if a price being asked is normal or sketchy.
Authentication services. Want 100% certainty that an item is real? Professional authentication (and grading) services exist. For a fee, these companies verify the authenticity of collectibles.
Online communities. Online forums like Reddit can be great sources of information on known scammers. Prevent scams by engaging with communities related to your favorite hobbies.
Google Image Reverse Search. Take the photos that a seller provides and plug them into Google Images. If those same photos pop up on another selling account, be careful.
Escrow services. If you and a buyer agree to use an escrow service, you both have protections. Escrow companies hold on to payments until both parties are satisfied with the transaction.
What To Do If You Get Scammed
Okay, but what happens if you do fall for a scam? Don’t panic.
Here’s what to do.
Don’t wait to take action. Your first instinct when you realize you’ve been scammed might be to shrug it off and forget about it. Don’t. Contact the website or payment provider immediately to file a dispute.
Keep documentation of everything. Always screenshot conversations and save emails. Have documentation of the listing as well. This makes your case tremendously if you need to dispute the transaction.
Report the scammer to forums/platforms. Even if you can’t get your money back, report the scammer to whatever website they were using. They’ll likely ban that user, preventing future scams.
Contact local authorities for larger losses. If you lost a significant amount of money to a scammer, consider filing a report with your local police department. The more documentation you can provide, the better.
Wrap Up
Stick to smart buying and selling habits, and you won’t become a victim of scam.
Collecting gaming merchandise is a fun hobby that can even turn into a career for some. Don’t let scary stories of scams prevent you from participating in the community.
Just remember to use these tips:
- Don’t use unprotected payment methods.
- Don’t forget to research the person you’re buying FROM or selling TO.
- Document everything you can.
- If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.
- Use community knowledge to your advantage.
Collectors who understand scam artists, and how they operate will win in the long-run. Be that collector.
Stay safe out there.
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