GUIDE · SAFETY
Fake damage photos: how to protect yourself as a seller.
Some buyers use AI to fake damage and get their money back. These habits help you if there's a dispute.
AI-generatedIn short
AI can add damage to photos of clothes that looks deceptively real. Reports from the Netherlands and Italy show buyers have used this to obtain refunds. Your best protection: photograph every item just before you send it and film the packing in one take. Then it's their word against your evidence.
- Photos just before sending
- Film the packing
- Evidence to support
How does fraud with AI photos work?
A buyer reports that the item is damaged or fake and sends a photo with a hole, a stain or a tear. The photo was generated or edited with AI. The Dutch broadcaster NOS reports on a seller who lost both the item and the money this way. The Italian news site Il Post describes similar cases from Italy and the UK.
Vinted told NOS that using AI to deceive, whether in listings or as fake evidence, is not allowed (paraphrased in translation). Every complaint, it said, is reviewed individually.
How do you protect yourself from fake damage photos?
Take photos just before sending.
Front and back, the label, and the spots where damage is typically claimed: seams, cuffs, zip.
Film the packing.
One video without cuts: show the item, fold it, pack it, tape it shut, stick on the label. A seller in the NOS report does exactly that, and Il Post calls it the most important protection.
Document flaws in advance.
What's stated in the listing can't later count as new damage.
Agree things in the platform's chat.
Then it's where a dispute is reviewed. Il Post advises keeping chats and videos as evidence.
Evidence to support, not to the buyer.
Send your photos and videos to the platform's customer service.
Frequently asked questions
Can Vinted detect AI photos?
Vinted says it reviews complaints individually. How well fake images are detected is not publicly known.
Is a photo of the parcel enough?
A video of the whole packing is better, because it shows the item was undamaged when it went into the parcel.
What do I do if I suspect a fake photo?
Stay factual, reply only on the platform and send your documentation to support.
Is it worth the effort for cheap items?
For a £3 T-shirt, probably not. For pricier items, a minute of video is time well spent.