How to Buy and Sell Safely on a Marketplace

Classifieds work because two people can deal directly. The same directness is what scammers exploit, so a handful of fixed habits does most of the protective work.

Keep the conversation on the platform

Messages sent through OpenSky24 leave a record. Someone who immediately pushes you onto another channel, refuses a phone call, or writes in copy-pasted paragraphs is worth a second look.

Meet in the right place

Choose somewhere public and busy in daylight — a shopping centre car park, a café, or outside a police station. Bring someone with you for high-value items, and tell another person where you are going.

Inspect before money changes hands

For electronics, power the item on and test it. For vehicles, see the paperwork and drive the car. For property, view in person before paying anything at all.

Payment rules that do not change

Pay on collection, in cash or by a bank transfer you have confirmed as landed in your account. Avoid money-transfer services, gift cards, crypto and "escrow" sites suggested by the other party. No legitimate deal requires a deposit to a stranger before viewing.

Common warning signs

A price far below the market, a seller who is "abroad" and will "arrange courier delivery", pressure to decide immediately, a request for a verification code sent to your phone, or an overpayment followed by a refund request — each of these is a scam pattern, not bad luck.

Protect your accounts

Never share a login code with anyone, including someone claiming to represent a marketplace. Use a unique password and keep personal documents out of chat.

If something goes wrong

Stop communicating, keep the messages and any payment records, report the advert or user, and contact the police for anything involving money lost or threats.