marketHow to avoid scams when buying or selling online
Updated 10 November 2026
Almost every buy and sell scam asks you to pay or share something before you meet: a token or advance, a courier charge, a QR code to "receive" money, or your OTP. The safest rule is simple: meet in person in a public place, check the item, then pay. Never share an OTP or UPI PIN.
The common scams and how they work
Advance payment or "token amount"
"Lots of people want it, send ₹500 as a token and I'll keep it for you." Once you pay, the seller asks for more, or simply disappears. A real seller can wait until you meet.
Courier or delivery charges
The seller is "in another city" and will send the item if you pay for the courier, packing or insurance first. Then come more charges: "customs", "GST", "refundable deposit". There is no parcel. Buy locally, in person.
The QR code to "receive" money
This one targets sellers. A "buyer" agrees your price without bargaining and sends a QR code so you can "receive the payment". Scanning a QR code and entering your PIN sends money from your account, it never brings money in. You never need a QR code or a PIN to receive money.
OTP and UPI PIN requests
"I've sent the money, just tell me the code you got." That code lets them log in, approve a payment or take over your account. Nobody needs your OTP, UPI PIN, card number or password to pay you. Not a buyer, not a "customer care" number, not the app's team.
The fake army or police officer
A bike, car, furniture or electronics at a very low price, from a seller who says they're an army, CRPF or police officer who has just been transferred. They send an ID card photo to look trustworthy, then ask for gate-pass, transport or courier money. The ID is fake and there is no item.
Fake payment screenshots
The buyer shows or sends a screenshot or SMS saying the money was sent, and wants to take the item. Screenshots and SMS messages are easy to fake. Open your own bank or UPI app and check the money has arrived before you hand anything over. Be careful with "I sent too much, please refund the extra" too.
How to buy and sell safely
- Keep the chat inside the app until you're ready to meet.
- Meet in a busy public place in daylight: a metro station exit, a mall or outside a well-known shop. Bring a friend for expensive items.
- Check the item properly: switch it on, test it, look for damage. For phones, check it isn't locked to an account.
- Pay, or get paid, only when you meet, and check your own bank app before handing over the item.
- If a deal feels rushed or too cheap, walk away.
How Occrr Market helps
- Verified accounts: every account is verified with a phone number or Google, one account per person.
- Your number stays hidden: buyers and sellers chat in the app, and phone numbers are never shown.
- Scam wording refused: ads with phrases like "advance payment", "token amount", "courier charges", "scan QR to receive" or "army officer" are not accepted.
- Chat warnings: messages that mention advance payments, OTPs or QR codes show a warning in the chat.
- Reported ads hidden: when 3 different people report an ad, it's hidden until our team checks it. Block anyone in one tap.
- No money in the middle: Occrr never holds money or asks you to pay a seller through us. Anyone who says otherwise is not from Occrr.
Questions
Can someone take money from me with a QR code?
Yes. Scanning a QR code and entering your UPI PIN sends money from your account. You never need to scan a QR code or enter a PIN to receive money.
Is it safe to pay a token amount to hold an item?
No. Paying a token, advance or courier charge before you have seen the item is how most marketplace scams work. Meet in person, check the item, then pay.
What is the army officer scam?
A seller says they are an army or police officer who has been transferred and must sell a bike, car or furniture cheaply. They send an ID photo to look real, then ask for courier, gate pass or transport money. There is no item.
How do I know a buyer has really paid me?
Open your own bank or UPI app and check that the money has arrived. A screenshot or an SMS from the buyer is not proof: both are easy to fake.
What should I do if I was cheated?
Call your bank at once to try to stop the payment. In India, call the cyber fraud helpline 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in. Outside India, report it to your local police or national fraud reporting service. Keep screenshots, and report the ad and the account.
How does Occrr Market protect buyers and sellers?
Every account is verified, phone numbers are never shown, ads with scam wording are refused, chat messages that mention advance payments, OTPs or QR codes show a warning, and an ad reported by 3 different people is hidden until the team checks it.
Buy and sell with a scam shield
Free to buy, 5 free ads to sell. See also a simpler OLX alternative, selling on Telegram, and for job seekers, how to spot a fake job offer.