Recognising scams on Huuto.net

Huuto.net is one of Finland’s oldest online auction sites, but there too scammers try to take advantage of trusting users. On this page we go through how to recognise suspicious listings and avoid scams.

How to recognise a trustworthy seller on Huuto.net?

  • Check the user profile and feedback - A trustworthy seller has positive reviews. Check especially the comments left by users.
  • Age of the user account - A user who has been active for a long time is more likely to have a genuine account. On Huuto.net you can see when the account was created.
  • Identification - An identified seller has confirmed their identity with banking credentials or a mobile certificate.
  • Number of items sold - An active user with several successful deals is probably trustworthy.
  • Quality of the product description - A trustworthy seller gives accurate information about the item, its condition and any faults.
Vinkki: Huuto.netissä myyjillä on palautteiden yhteydessä mainejärjestelmä, joka perustuu positiivisten, neutraalien ja negatiivisten palautteiden määrään. Myyjillä, joilla on korkea positiivisten palautteiden prosentti, on yleensä hyvä maine, mutta lue silti palautteiden sisältö tarkemmin.

Signs of a scam on Huuto.net

  • An unusually low price - If the price is significantly below the market price, it may be a scam.
  • Incomplete product photos - Few or unclear photos can be a sign of a scam.
  • Quick payment before delivery - Pressure to pay quickly without meeting or inspecting the item.
  • A new user account - A recently created account with no previous feedback is riskier.
  • Suspicious payment methods - Urging you to use unusual payment methods, such as gift cards or cryptocurrencies.
  • Rushing - Pressure techniques such as "many others are interested" or "available only today".
  • An offer that is too good - If an offer seems too good to be true, it is probably a scam.
Varoitus: Huuto.netin virallista maksunvälityspalvelua käyttämällä saat suojaa huijauksia vastaan. Älä koskaan tee maksua myyjän ehdottaman ulkopuolisen linkin kautta!

Checking images on Huuto.net

On Huuto.net, product images are an important way to recognise fraudulent listings. Here is how you can check the images:

1
Tallenna ilmoituksen kuva

Right-click the image in the Huuto.net listing and select "Save image as". On a mobile device, press and hold the image.

2
Käytä käänteistä kuvahakua

Save the product image in the Huuto.net listing and upload it to the reverse image search tool. If the same image is found in a foreign online shop or in another listing, the seller probably does not own the item.

3
Tarkista hakutulokset

If the image is found elsewhere, especially on product pages of foreign online shops, it is probably a scam.

4
Pyydä lisäkuvia

On Huuto.net you can send questions to the seller. Ask the seller to send more photos from different angles and of details through Huuto.net’s messaging system.

Pro-vinkki: Huuto.netissä erityisesti elektroniikkatuotteiden kuvat kannattaa tarkistaa, sillä ne ovat yleisiä huijauskohteita.

Safe trading on Huuto.net

  • Use Huuto.net’s payment intermediary service - It provides protection for both the buyer and the seller.
  • Prefer delivery that includes a tracking code - This way you can make sure the parcel has really been sent.
  • Meet the seller in a public place - If you make the deal in person, choose a safe and public meeting place.
  • Check the item before paying - Make sure the item matches the description before making the payment.
  • Communicate through Huuto.net - Use Huuto.net’s own messaging system so that conversations are saved.

What to do if you are scammed on Huuto.net?

If you suspect you have been targeted by a scam on Huuto.net, do the following:

1
Ilmoita Huuto.netille

Report the scam to Huuto.net’s administration using the "Report to administration" function found in the listing or on the user profile. Huuto.net has also published an official guide on scam messages at huuto.net/ohjeet/tiedotteet/311.

2
Tee rikosilmoitus

If you have lost money, file a police report. Scams on Huuto.net are fraud offences that fall within the police’s jurisdiction.

3
Kerää todisteet

Save all conversations, screenshots of the listing, payment details and other evidence of the scam.

4
Ota yhteyttä pankkiin

If you paid by bank transfer, contact your bank as soon as possible and find out whether the payment can be reversed.

5
Anna palaute käyttäjälle

Give the scammer negative feedback and describe in detail what happened. This warns other users.

Tärkeää: Jos käytit Huuto.netin maksunvälityspalvelua ja et saanut tuotetta tai se ei vastannut kuvausta, voit olla oikeutettu saamaan rahasi takaisin palvelun kautta.

Huuto.net’s special features

Scam messages in Huuto.net’s name

Huuto.net has itself warned about scam messages that appear to come in its name. The scammer makes a purchase on an item that does not use Huuto Turva and sends the seller a message asking them to click a link or provide details. The purpose is to phish for information and direct the payment to the scammer. Remember: Huuto.net never asks for banking credentials or payment details by message. If you sell without Huuto Turva, the payment is agreed directly with the buyer, and Huuto.net does not take part in the payment or forward links for payment.

Courier service and logistics scam

Banks have warned about an increasingly common scam on selling platforms, including Huuto.net, in which a scammer posing as a buyer asks the seller to go to a forged courier service page via a link sent in an instant messaging app. The page imitates, for example, Posti, PostNord or UPS and looks genuine, but its only purpose is to get you to enter your card and online banking details for a criminal. A genuine delivery service never requires online banking credentials to "receive the payment". Always handle delivery and payment through Huuto.net’s own system.

Huuto Turva and mandatory identification

Huuto Turva is Huuto.net’s official payment intermediary: the buyer first pays for the item into Huuto.net’s client funds account, and the money is released to the seller only once the buyer has received and checked the item. By using Huuto Turva you avoid a large part of payment-related scams. If you sell without Huuto Turva, you can require mandatory identification of the buyer on the listing form. This reduces the risk that the other party to the deal is a scammer operating with a fabricated account.

  • Auction mechanism - On Huuto.net you can take part in a rising auction or buy items at the "Buy now" price.
  • Feedback scoring - Users can give each other feedback (positive, neutral or negative), which helps assess trustworthiness. Feedback builds up the user’s reputation percentage, which is calculated from the share of positive feedback.
  • User identification - On Huuto.net you can confirm your identity, which increases trustworthiness.
  • Trade protection - Huuto.net offers trade protection that includes, among other things, a payment intermediary service.
  • Platforms and categories - Huuto.net is organised into clear categories, which helps you find the items you want.
Vinkki: Huuto.netissä voit asettaa hakuvahdin haluamillesi tuotteille. Tämä vähentää kiusausta tarttua epäilyttäviin tarjouksiin, koska voit odottaa luotettavampaa myyjää.