Is It Safe to Buy on Poshmark, Depop or Mercari?

Poshmark, Depop and Mercari are all real, established resale marketplaces used by millions of buyers and sellers. The apps themselves are legitimate. The risk comes from individual sellers — and from scammers who try to pull you off the platform, where the buyer protection stops working.

Here's how each platform protects you, the warning signs to check before you pay, and exactly what to do if an order goes wrong.

The short answer

Yes, it's generally safe to buy on Poshmark, Depop and Mercari — as long as you pay inside the app and never confirm receipt before checking your item. All three hold your money until the sale is complete, so a seller who never ships or sends the wrong thing doesn't get paid if you report the problem in time.

How buyer protection works on each app

Poshmark

Poshmark's protection is called Posh Protect. Your payment is held until you receive the order and tap Accept — or until a few days pass after delivery. If the item never arrives, is fake, or is significantly not as described, open a case from My Purchases → select the order → Problems/Order Inquiry within three days of delivery. Higher-priced orders are routed through Poshmark's authentication service before they reach you.

Depop

Depop covers purchases made through the in-app Buy button. If the item doesn't arrive or arrives significantly not as described, report it through Depop's in-app Resolution Centre and you can get a refund. The key word is in-app: if a seller asks you to pay by bank transfer, PayPal Friends & Family, Venmo or Cash App instead, that payment is not covered — and it's the single most common Depop scam.

Mercari

Mercari holds your payment until you rate the seller. Don't rate until you've opened and inspected the package — rating releases the money and closes your window. If something's wrong, go to the order page and request a return within three days of delivery instead of rating.

Red flags to check before you buy

• Off-app payment requests. "Zelle me and I'll ship today," "PayPal Friends & Family for a discount" — this removes all protection. Treat it as a scam, every time.
• Moving the chat. Sellers pushing you to text, WhatsApp, Instagram or email are usually setting up an off-platform payment or a phishing link.
• Stock photos only. Legit resellers photograph the actual item. Ask for a photo with today's date on paper, or of a specific detail (inside tag, sole, serial number).
• Too-cheap designer goods. A luxury bag at a tiny fraction of retail from a new account is almost certainly counterfeit.
• Thin account history. Check the seller's reviews, number of sales, and how long they've been active. New account + expensive item + big discount is the classic combination.
• Fake "payment pending" emails. Scammers send lookalike emails claiming you must "verify" or pay a fee to release an order. The apps never do this — check your order status inside the app, not from an email link.

If you get a message or email that feels off, paste it into the free HasTrust scam checker before you click anything or reply.

What to do if your order goes wrong

1. Don't accept, rate or confirm the order. That's what releases your money.
2. Photograph everything — the packaging, label, and the item from several angles — before you touch it further.
3. Open a case inside the app right away: Poshmark's Order Inquiry, Depop's Resolution Centre, or Mercari's return request. Deadlines are short (often around three days from delivery), so don't wait for the seller to "sort it out" in messages.
4. Keep all communication in the app. Support teams can only see and act on what happened on-platform.
5. If the platform denies a valid claim, contact your card issuer about a chargeback as a last resort — this works because you paid by card inside the app, which is another reason never to pay by bank transfer or gift card.

Selling? The same rules apply in reverse

Buyers can scam sellers too: fake overpayment emails, "accidentally sent extra, refund me by Zelle" messages, and requests to ship before payment clears. Only ship when the app itself shows the order as paid, use the prepaid label the platform provides, and ignore any payment claim that arrives by email or text.

The bottom line

Poshmark, Depop and Mercari are safe for buyers who stay inside the guardrails: pay in-app, inspect before you accept or rate, and report problems fast. Nearly every horror story starts with someone paying off-platform or clicking an email link.

Before buying secondhand fashion anywhere — including standalone resale shops you find on Instagram — you can check the store on HasTrust for reviews and trust signals, and browse more vetted fashion shops if you'd rather buy new.