Protect Yourself from Common Etsy Scams AS A SEller

I’ve been selling on Etsy for a few years now and let me tell you this.

I have seen some scammers try to trick me.

And they can be really clever!

As an experienced seller, I have seen many of their slimy schemes, but I still remember when I started.

Yes, when I first started on Etsy, I was pretty clueless about scams.

I just wanted to sell my designs to people.

I didn’t know there were people out there trying to steal from honest sellers like me and you.

Ugh, it makes me so mad thinking about it!

But I’m going to share those stories with you so the same thing doesn’t happen to you, ok?

I will show you the most common Etsy scams I have encountered as a seller.

We’ve got to look out for each other on Etsy!

The Email Trick

So this was one of the first scams I saw when I was brand new.

A “customer” messaged me saying they wanted to buy one of my t-shirts.

I was so excited for my first sale.

But then they said, “Can you give me your email address so I can pay you?“

Wait, what? I didn’t know that’s not how Etsy works.

So I didn’t give them my email address.

But what would have happened if I had given them the email?

The scenario is simple.

Once you send them an email, they are starting to send you a bunch of phishing emails trying to get you passwords and account info.

They just want your email to hack you and steal from you.

The lesson: Never ever give out your email to random people on Etsy! They’re probably scammers.

The Multiple “Customers” Trick

Another time, I got hit with a more confusing version of the email scam.

Multiple different “customers” all messaged me one after another saying they needed my email to pay me.

Some of them even sent fake screenshots from Etsy saying there was an issue with payment that required my email.

It seemed really legit since so many people were saying the same thing.

But you know what?

It was all a big lie!

They were just trying to convince me to give up my email by making it seem like an official Etsy problem.

The tip: If there’s really an issue with payment on Etsy, they’ll email you about it. You don’t need to give anyone your email. So don’t fall for that trick like I almost did!

The Fake Link Nightmare

Ok, this next one freaked me out.

A “customer” sent me a message with a link saying it had photos of a custom order they wanted me to make.

Never click on the link out of curiosity.

This would be a mistake!

As soon as you do it, all these pop-ups and weird stuff will start happening on your computer.

I’m pretty sure this can be a virus or malware trying to hack into your accounts.

Tip: Never click on sketchy links from people you don’t know.

The “Etsy Support” Impersonator

Here’s another dirty trick the scammers try to pull.

They’ll create a fake Etsy account and pretend to be someone from Etsy Support or the Etsy team.

Then they’ll message you saying, “A customer purchased an item from your shop. But we need you to verify your account information before we can release the payment to you.”

It seems so official.

Like when it’s really coming from Etsy.

But it’s all a scam!

Etsy would never ask you to verify info that way over messages.

They just want you to give up your personal details so they can steal your info and your money.

Just ignore any messages like that and definitely don’t give out any sensitive information.

Pro tip: If Etsy really needs something from you, they’ll email you from their official address.

The “Your Shop is Suspended” Hoax

The last one, I promise!

This scam happens to me pretty often, so I want to make sure you’re aware of it.

Basically, right after I make a sale, I’ll get a message saying, “Your Etsy shop has been marked as suspicious/fraudulent. All incoming payments to your shop have been temporarily suspended. To unlock your payments, you need to verify your email address and some other details.”

It seems so urgent and scary,

You’re worried they’ll cut off your money if you don’t verify stuff right away. But it’s a huge lie!

Etsy would never ask you to verify account info over messages like that.

They’d just suspend your shop and email you if there was really an issue.

The scammers just want you to hand over your email so they can hack you.

Can you believe how devious these scammers are?

It’s unbelievable that they often attempt to steal from honest sellers.

But now you know all their tricks, so you can avoid their traps!

Just remember a few simple rules:

• Never give out your email address or personal info to random people over Etsy messages. No matter what excuse they give.
• Don’t click on any sketchy links they send you, even if they say it’s for a custom order. It’s probably a virus.
• Ignore messages from accounts pretending to be Etsy Support asking you to verify info. That’s not how Etsy operates.
• If something seems fishy or urgently asks for info in messages, it’s most likely a scam. Trust your gut!

And hey, if you’re ever unsure about a message, you can always ask other Etsy sellers in the forums.

We’ve got to look out for each other against these scammers!

OK, that’s my guide on avoiding scams when you’re new to Etsy.

I really hope sharing my experiences helps you guys from getting tricked like I was at first.

Selling online is awesome, but you’ve got to be careful of the creeps out there trying to take advantage.

Just use some common sense, and if anything seems even a little bit weird!

Your security and money is more important than any sale.

With time, you’ll get a sixth sense for sniffing out the scammers.