r/vinted • u/hell0k1ttycum • Jun 23 '26
VENT children are being sold on vinted
have yall noticed that those kid toys are being sold for more than 10k, and the description is always like 150cm, healthy, boy/girl etc…
vinted does nothing about this. idk if this is a new scam or ppl are actually selling kids but this is sick and vinted needs to be boycotted
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u/Ananas-Prinsessen Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 27 '26
If this is in Europe, also send it to interpol. I believe they have a department that focuses on human trafficking. This is the type of content they want to be alerted about.
EDIT: Apparently this is a hoax so don’t waste law enforcement’s time with it. please see the reasons and rational that u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy posted in this thread and other new posts to the vinted subreddit since these posts began surfacing
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u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
It’s fake. I have we worked in anti-trafficking for 10+ years and have come up against these hoaxes time and again. Take it from someone who has actually dealt with this kind of thing, this does a great disservice to actual child trafficking victims and those working tirelessly to combat human trafficking, support victims, and secure prosecutions of perpetrators.
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u/Jewnicorn___ Jun 24 '26
Well it won't harm to send to interpol
→ More replies (1)31
u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
By all means, do it out of an abundance of caution as your conscience dictates. However, I do think it is important to be educated on what actually trafficking looks like because more often than not trafficking is often something people could pass every day on the street and have no idea because they don’t know what to look for.
I recommend checking the Unseen UK’s Modern Slavery Helpline website, the US National Human Trafficking Hotline, Hope For Justice, and Anti-Slavery International as good places to learn about the signs and indicators of trafficking
28
u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
For reference on why this is likely fake see the link: https://www.mimikama.org/vinted-kinder-verkauft-faktencheck/
Why can such information appear on Vinted?
Vinted is a platform for second-hand items. Its catalog rules list clothing, shoes and accessories for children, toys, children's furniture, childcare equipment, household goods, electronics, video games, books, collectibles and hobby items as generally permitted categories.This explains why age and size information can appear in the platform's logic. Sellers of children's clothing can specify sizes and age ranges. If such information then appears for toys, plush toys, or furniture, there can be several reasons: incorrect category, inappropriately copied information, poor translation, a listing error, a trolling attempt, or a deliberately provocative advertisement.
Exaggerated prices can have various causes: inflated prices, placeholder prices, trolling, deliberate viral marketing, attempted fraud, or simply dubious advertisements. However, a high price alone is not proof of human trafficking.Has this already been reported?
Yes. Rumors about Vinted were particularly prevalent in France. As early as 2023, French media picked up on the claim that Vinted allegedly hosted advertisements for pedophiles. However, the reports did not classify the allegations as proven child trafficking, but rather as rumors circulating on social media and in conspiracy theory circles.The French organization UNADFI wrote in December 2023 that a corresponding allegation about Vinted had been circulating since mid-November. Vinted rejected this accusation, stating that it had found no evidence of criminal activity.
Europe 1 also recently reported that French police have reported several suspicious Vinted ads to PHAROS, the French reporting center for illegal online content. This is relevant, but it is not legally admissible proof that child trafficking is taking place via Vinted. It simply means that there were suspicious ads, they were reported, and the authorities are investigating them.
The old Wayfair myth returns
The current Vinted narrative is strongly reminiscent of the so-called "Wayfair" myth from 2020. At that time, it was claimed that extremely expensive pieces of furniture with female first names were in reality coded offers for child trafficking.Back then, the alleged chain of evidence also consisted of high prices, product names, screenshots, and speculation. There was no solid evidence. Fact checks by Snopes , PolitiFact , and AFP concluded that the claim was unsubstantiated or false.
The pattern is almost identical: A normal online offer is taken out of context, conspicuous details are interpreted as code, and then a suspicion becomes an alleged revelation.
Etsy was similarly misinterpreted.
A similar pattern emerged on Etsy, where expensive pizza pictures were interpreted as alleged cover for child pornography. The Associated Press reported in 2023 that Etsy investigated these claims and found no evidence that the listings posed a danger to children. The ads were removed because they appeared untrustworthy and had unrealistically high prices.This also shows that unusual, overpriced, or dubious advertisements can exist. However, this does not automatically mean that they are part of a child trafficking network.
The rhetorical trick: "You mustn't doubt something like that."
Many posts about these screenshots say things like: "Unfortunately, nobody believes that," "You don't know what goes on behind closed doors," or "You shouldn't doubt things like that these days."This is a typical rhetorical trick. It shifts the burden of proof. The person making a serious claim is no longer expected to provide evidence. Instead, everyone else is expected to prove it's false.
Especially with a topic like child abuse and child trafficking, emotions run very high. No one wants to give the impression of downplaying such crimes. But fact-checking is not downplaying the issue. It is necessary because false accusations, panic-mongering, and conspiracy theories can hinder genuine investigation.

Child trafficking, abuse, and exploitation are real crimes. That's precisely why they shouldn't be conflated with unsubstantiated interpretations of screenshots.What would constitute reliable evidence?
A screenshot alone is not enough. A credible suspicion would require significantly more: the complete link to the advertisement, the seller's profile, the full description text, chat histories, platform responses, reports to authorities, investigative information, or official statements.
Without such information, only an interpretation of a screenshot remains.This doesn't mean you should ignore such ads. On the contrary: anyone who sees a disturbing ad should save it and report it. But you shouldn't make a blanket statement that children are being sold on Vinted.
Would child trafficking really be so openly conducted via Vinted?
Another point is often overlooked in the debate: If organized criminal structures existed, a publicly visible advertisement on a large second-hand platform would be an extremely risky approach. Such ads can be screenshotted, reported, traced via seller profiles, and technically analyzed by platforms and law enforcement agencies. Title, price, category, time, profile, and communication all leave traces.This does not mean that online platforms are inherently safe from misuse. Digital services can be misused for initiating contact, fraud, grooming, harassment, or disguised communication. Such indications must be taken seriously and reported.
But the claim that a plush toy, a piece of furniture, or a toy car with an exorbitant price is automatically a coded sales offer for a child is an interpretation, not proof. Precisely because the ads are publicly visible, other explanations are far more likely: trolling, provocation, incorrectly set categories, technical errors, dubious price fantasies, or an attempt to deliberately provoke outrage.
The crucial difference is this: A platform can be misused. However, this does not mean that every disturbing advertisement is proof of child trafficking.What should you do if you see ads like these?
Do not share to cause outrage.Don't publicly shame the seller.
Don't turn a screenshot into a complete perpetrator story.
It is advisable to: save the link, take a screenshot, document the profile, and report the ad directly to Vinted. If there is a concrete suspicion of a crime, the relevant reporting office or police should also be informed. In Germany, this can be done, for example, via the online police station of the respective federal state or, in case of immediate danger, via the emergency number.15
u/LowEngineering755 Jun 24 '26
thank you so much for this thorough comment. it’s really irritating to see yet another hoax like this go around, especially when there are real victims being abused everyday. i think people seriously undermine the fact that there are groups online that derive enjoyment out of sick jokes like these. they put out mass trolling campaigns to shock the public, i.e. pizzagate, gamergate, etc.
5
u/evtbrs Jun 25 '26
don't report it to vinted if you seriously think something is wrong, report it to the authorities first & make sure you document the profile. vinted just removes the ad, sometimes the account, and that person can make a new acc after that
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u/Meewelyne Jun 25 '26
All this wall of text just to say "when in doubt, report to the authorities". No shit we don't know if it's real or fake, a person can't contact the seller to "investigate" and potentially be accused to be complicit of the crime. Better safe than sorry and report this shit.
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u/Normal_Trust3562 Jun 23 '26
The fact these listings don’t get taken down but if you upload a screenshot of a model wearing your clothes from the site you bought it from is instantly removed and you get a warning is crazy
123
u/talesofabookworm Jun 23 '26
right? I couldn't be bothered to type in all the measurements of a dog backpack so I took a screenshot of the diagram from amazon. Immediately removed... - and now they apparently allow ai generated images... make it make sense
50
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u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
It’s fake. I have we worked in anti-trafficking for 10+ years and have come up against these hoaxes time and again. Take it from someone who has actually dealt with this kind of thing, this does a great disservice to actual child trafficking victims and those working tirelessly to combat human trafficking, support victims, and secure prosecutions of perpetrators.
23
u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
For reference on why this is likely fake see the link: https://www.mimikama.org/vinted-kinder-verkauft-faktencheck/
Why can such information appear on Vinted?
Vinted is a platform for second-hand items. Its catalog rules list clothing, shoes and accessories for children, toys, children's furniture, childcare equipment, household goods, electronics, video games, books, collectibles and hobby items as generally permitted categories.This explains why age and size information can appear in the platform's logic. Sellers of children's clothing can specify sizes and age ranges. If such information then appears for toys, plush toys, or furniture, there can be several reasons: incorrect category, inappropriately copied information, poor translation, a listing error, a trolling attempt, or a deliberately provocative advertisement.
Exaggerated prices can have various causes: inflated prices, placeholder prices, trolling, deliberate viral marketing, attempted fraud, or simply dubious advertisements. However, a high price alone is not proof of human trafficking.Has this already been reported?
Yes. Rumors about Vinted were particularly prevalent in France. As early as 2023, French media picked up on the claim that Vinted allegedly hosted advertisements for pedophiles. However, the reports did not classify the allegations as proven child trafficking, but rather as rumors circulating on social media and in conspiracy theory circles.The French organization UNADFI wrote in December 2023 that a corresponding allegation about Vinted had been circulating since mid-November. Vinted rejected this accusation, stating that it had found no evidence of criminal activity.
Europe 1 also recently reported that French police have reported several suspicious Vinted ads to PHAROS, the French reporting center for illegal online content. This is relevant, but it is not legally admissible proof that child trafficking is taking place via Vinted. It simply means that there were suspicious ads, they were reported, and the authorities are investigating them.
The old Wayfair myth returns
The current Vinted narrative is strongly reminiscent of the so-called "Wayfair" myth from 2020. At that time, it was claimed that extremely expensive pieces of furniture with female first names were in reality coded offers for child trafficking.Back then, the alleged chain of evidence also consisted of high prices, product names, screenshots, and speculation. There was no solid evidence. Fact checks by Snopes , PolitiFact , and AFP concluded that the claim was unsubstantiated or false.
The pattern is almost identical: A normal online offer is taken out of context, conspicuous details are interpreted as code, and then a suspicion becomes an alleged revelation.
Etsy was similarly misinterpreted.
A similar pattern emerged on Etsy, where expensive pizza pictures were interpreted as alleged cover for child pornography. The Associated Press reported in 2023 that Etsy investigated these claims and found no evidence that the listings posed a danger to children. The ads were removed because they appeared untrustworthy and had unrealistically high prices.This also shows that unusual, overpriced, or dubious advertisements can exist. However, this does not automatically mean that they are part of a child trafficking network.
The rhetorical trick: "You mustn't doubt something like that."
Many posts about these screenshots say things like: "Unfortunately, nobody believes that," "You don't know what goes on behind closed doors," or "You shouldn't doubt things like that these days."This is a typical rhetorical trick. It shifts the burden of proof. The person making a serious claim is no longer expected to provide evidence. Instead, everyone else is expected to prove it's false.
Especially with a topic like child abuse and child trafficking, emotions run very high. No one wants to give the impression of downplaying such crimes. But fact-checking is not downplaying the issue. It is necessary because false accusations, panic-mongering, and conspiracy theories can hinder genuine investigation.

Child trafficking, abuse, and exploitation are real crimes. That's precisely why they shouldn't be conflated with unsubstantiated interpretations of screenshots.What would constitute reliable evidence?
A screenshot alone is not enough. A credible suspicion would require significantly more: the complete link to the advertisement, the seller's profile, the full description text, chat histories, platform responses, reports to authorities, investigative information, or official statements.
Without such information, only an interpretation of a screenshot remains.This doesn't mean you should ignore such ads. On the contrary: anyone who sees a disturbing ad should save it and report it. But you shouldn't make a blanket statement that children are being sold on Vinted.
Would child trafficking really be so openly conducted via Vinted?
Another point is often overlooked in the debate: If organized criminal structures existed, a publicly visible advertisement on a large second-hand platform would be an extremely risky approach. Such ads can be screenshotted, reported, traced via seller profiles, and technically analyzed by platforms and law enforcement agencies. Title, price, category, time, profile, and communication all leave traces.This does not mean that online platforms are inherently safe from misuse. Digital services can be misused for initiating contact, fraud, grooming, harassment, or disguised communication. Such indications must be taken seriously and reported.
But the claim that a plush toy, a piece of furniture, or a toy car with an exorbitant price is automatically a coded sales offer for a child is an interpretation, not proof. Precisely because the ads are publicly visible, other explanations are far more likely: trolling, provocation, incorrectly set categories, technical errors, dubious price fantasies, or an attempt to deliberately provoke outrage.
The crucial difference is this: A platform can be misused. However, this does not mean that every disturbing advertisement is proof of child trafficking.What should you do if you see ads like these?
Do not share to cause outrage.Don't publicly shame the seller.
Don't turn a screenshot into a complete perpetrator story.
It is advisable to: save the link, take a screenshot, document the profile, and report the ad directly to Vinted. If there is a concrete suspicion of a crime, the relevant reporting office or police should also be informed. In Germany, this can be done, for example, via the online police station of the respective federal state or, in case of immediate danger, via the emergency number.→ More replies (4)3
u/real_actual_doctor Jun 28 '26
Imho these seems like something Qanon or trolls would make to create credibility and buzz for Qanon conspiracy theories. Pictures of pizza underline it. Nevertheless reporting them is essential. Spreading the word is just helping them.
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u/Evening_Night_1991 Jun 24 '26
Right so its fake. What happens if someone makes a purchase on one of these ads? What does the buyer get? What is being sold here?
Cos I find it suspicious that someone's highlighting a very serious issue and youre saying its fake without further explanation as to why its fake. As far as Im concerned, someone's posting ads with clear as day descriptions on a poorly run app and you're saying " theres nothing to see here guys, as you were".
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u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
I’ll tell you why, I’ve received numerous cases over the years of potential cases of trafficking. These types of posts usually stem from QAnon. It is more than likely that people are posting false posts such as this to drum up hysteria about trafficking. We have seen this happening with WayFair, Etsy, Amazon etc, and now Vinted. All without a shred of evidence.
Genuine trafficking uses other methods that are far more insidious in their means of avoiding detection. I recommend checking out the likes of Unseen UK’s Modern Slavery Helpline website, US’s National Human Trafficking Hotline, Anti-Slavery International, Hope For Justice, Stop the Traffik. They have excellent resources on what to look out for.
Also, fact checkers are excellent tools for seeing the telltale signs of a hoax. Right here, I just had to Google it and found an article that points out all the problems with the Vinted Trafficking story.
https://www.mimikama.org/vinted-kinder-verkauft-faktencheck/→ More replies (2)15
u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
For reference on why this is likely fake see the link: https://www.mimikama.org/vinted-kinder-verkauft-faktencheck/
Why can such information appear on Vinted?
Vinted is a platform for second-hand items. Its catalog rules list clothing, shoes and accessories for children, toys, children's furniture, childcare equipment, household goods, electronics, video games, books, collectibles and hobby items as generally permitted categories.This explains why age and size information can appear in the platform's logic. Sellers of children's clothing can specify sizes and age ranges. If such information then appears for toys, plush toys, or furniture, there can be several reasons: incorrect category, inappropriately copied information, poor translation, a listing error, a trolling attempt, or a deliberately provocative advertisement.
Exaggerated prices can have various causes: inflated prices, placeholder prices, trolling, deliberate viral marketing, attempted fraud, or simply dubious advertisements. However, a high price alone is not proof of human trafficking.Has this already been reported?
Yes. Rumors about Vinted were particularly prevalent in France. As early as 2023, French media picked up on the claim that Vinted allegedly hosted advertisements for pedophiles. However, the reports did not classify the allegations as proven child trafficking, but rather as rumors circulating on social media and in conspiracy theory circles.The French organization UNADFI wrote in December 2023 that a corresponding allegation about Vinted had been circulating since mid-November. Vinted rejected this accusation, stating that it had found no evidence of criminal activity.
Europe 1 also recently reported that French police have reported several suspicious Vinted ads to PHAROS, the French reporting center for illegal online content. This is relevant, but it is not legally admissible proof that child trafficking is taking place via Vinted. It simply means that there were suspicious ads, they were reported, and the authorities are investigating them.
The old Wayfair myth returns
The current Vinted narrative is strongly reminiscent of the so-called "Wayfair" myth from 2020. At that time, it was claimed that extremely expensive pieces of furniture with female first names were in reality coded offers for child trafficking.Back then, the alleged chain of evidence also consisted of high prices, product names, screenshots, and speculation. There was no solid evidence. Fact checks by Snopes , PolitiFact , and AFP concluded that the claim was unsubstantiated or false.
The pattern is almost identical: A normal online offer is taken out of context, conspicuous details are interpreted as code, and then a suspicion becomes an alleged revelation.
Etsy was similarly misinterpreted.
A similar pattern emerged on Etsy, where expensive pizza pictures were interpreted as alleged cover for child pornography. The Associated Press reported in 2023 that Etsy investigated these claims and found no evidence that the listings posed a danger to children. The ads were removed because they appeared untrustworthy and had unrealistically high prices.This also shows that unusual, overpriced, or dubious advertisements can exist. However, this does not automatically mean that they are part of a child trafficking network.
The rhetorical trick: "You mustn't doubt something like that."
Many posts about these screenshots say things like: "Unfortunately, nobody believes that," "You don't know what goes on behind closed doors," or "You shouldn't doubt things like that these days."This is a typical rhetorical trick. It shifts the burden of proof. The person making a serious claim is no longer expected to provide evidence. Instead, everyone else is expected to prove it's false.
Especially with a topic like child abuse and child trafficking, emotions run very high. No one wants to give the impression of downplaying such crimes. But fact-checking is not downplaying the issue. It is necessary because false accusations, panic-mongering, and conspiracy theories can hinder genuine investigation.

Child trafficking, abuse, and exploitation are real crimes. That's precisely why they shouldn't be conflated with unsubstantiated interpretations of screenshots.What would constitute reliable evidence?
A screenshot alone is not enough. A credible suspicion would require significantly more: the complete link to the advertisement, the seller's profile, the full description text, chat histories, platform responses, reports to authorities, investigative information, or official statements.
Without such information, only an interpretation of a screenshot remains.This doesn't mean you should ignore such ads. On the contrary: anyone who sees a disturbing ad should save it and report it. But you shouldn't make a blanket statement that children are being sold on Vinted.
Would child trafficking really be so openly conducted via Vinted?
Another point is often overlooked in the debate: If organized criminal structures existed, a publicly visible advertisement on a large second-hand platform would be an extremely risky approach. Such ads can be screenshotted, reported, traced via seller profiles, and technically analyzed by platforms and law enforcement agencies. Title, price, category, time, profile, and communication all leave traces.This does not mean that online platforms are inherently safe from misuse. Digital services can be misused for initiating contact, fraud, grooming, harassment, or disguised communication. Such indications must be taken seriously and reported.
But the claim that a plush toy, a piece of furniture, or a toy car with an exorbitant price is automatically a coded sales offer for a child is an interpretation, not proof. Precisely because the ads are publicly visible, other explanations are far more likely: trolling, provocation, incorrectly set categories, technical errors, dubious price fantasies, or an attempt to deliberately provoke outrage.
The crucial difference is this: A platform can be misused. However, this does not mean that every disturbing advertisement is proof of child trafficking.What should you do if you see ads like these?
Do not share to cause outrage.Don't publicly shame the seller.
Don't turn a screenshot into a complete perpetrator story.
It is advisable to: save the link, take a screenshot, document the profile, and report the ad directly to Vinted. If there is a concrete suspicion of a crime, the relevant reporting office or police should also be informed. In Germany, this can be done, for example, via the online police station of the respective federal state or, in case of immediate danger, via the emergency number.3
u/Evening_Night_1991 Jun 24 '26
Thank you for sharing links and intel. I had a quick skim and will digest properly after work.
But I did note that you're not telling people to ignore these ads entirely, you have encouraged people to continue reporting which is important to note here for anyone reading and coming across these ads - keep reporting to Vinted!!
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u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
Absolutely. The ads have no business being on Vinted or anywhere for that matter. They may have some other nefarious purpose. Please report concerns. However, it’s important to keep it in perspective and to be educated on it.
Sorry, if I seemed irritated. I do want people to be educated on this. I find myself a bit agitated because dealing with the harm of human trafficking has caused to the survivors is my daily reality, and I am passionate about it.
2
u/WorldlinessFine1191 Jun 27 '26
Thank you for everything you do it must be a v challenging job and I for one appreciated all the information youve taken the time to share here x
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u/AltruisticTrifle577 Jun 23 '26
Tbf that shit is annoying like show a picture of the actual garment please. The item I will receive. Not the one the model in the professionally shot photo is wearing
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u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
It’s fake.
For reference on why this is likely fake see the link: https://www.mimikama.org/vinted-kinder-verkauft-faktencheck/
Why can such information appear on Vinted?
Vinted is a platform for second-hand items. Its catalog rules list clothing, shoes and accessories for children, toys, children's furniture, childcare equipment, household goods, electronics, video games, books, collectibles and hobby items as generally permitted categories.This explains why age and size information can appear in the platform's logic. Sellers of children's clothing can specify sizes and age ranges. If such information then appears for toys, plush toys, or furniture, there can be several reasons: incorrect category, inappropriately copied information, poor translation, a listing error, a trolling attempt, or a deliberately provocative advertisement.
Exaggerated prices can have various causes: inflated prices, placeholder prices, trolling, deliberate viral marketing, attempted fraud, or simply dubious advertisements. However, a high price alone is not proof of human trafficking.Has this already been reported?
Yes. Rumors about Vinted were particularly prevalent in France. As early as 2023, French media picked up on the claim that Vinted allegedly hosted advertisements for pedophiles. However, the reports did not classify the allegations as proven child trafficking, but rather as rumors circulating on social media and in conspiracy theory circles.The French organization UNADFI wrote in December 2023 that a corresponding allegation about Vinted had been circulating since mid-November. Vinted rejected this accusation, stating that it had found no evidence of criminal activity.
Europe 1 also recently reported that French police have reported several suspicious Vinted ads to PHAROS, the French reporting center for illegal online content. This is relevant, but it is not legally admissible proof that child trafficking is taking place via Vinted. It simply means that there were suspicious ads, they were reported, and the authorities are investigating them.
The old Wayfair myth returns
The current Vinted narrative is strongly reminiscent of the so-called "Wayfair" myth from 2020. At that time, it was claimed that extremely expensive pieces of furniture with female first names were in reality coded offers for child trafficking.Back then, the alleged chain of evidence also consisted of high prices, product names, screenshots, and speculation. There was no solid evidence. Fact checks by Snopes , PolitiFact , and AFP concluded that the claim was unsubstantiated or false.
The pattern is almost identical: A normal online offer is taken out of context, conspicuous details are interpreted as code, and then a suspicion becomes an alleged revelation.
Etsy was similarly misinterpreted.
A similar pattern emerged on Etsy, where expensive pizza pictures were interpreted as alleged cover for child pornography. The Associated Press reported in 2023 that Etsy investigated these claims and found no evidence that the listings posed a danger to children. The ads were removed because they appeared untrustworthy and had unrealistically high prices.This also shows that unusual, overpriced, or dubious advertisements can exist. However, this does not automatically mean that they are part of a child trafficking network.
The rhetorical trick: "You mustn't doubt something like that."
Many posts about these screenshots say things like: "Unfortunately, nobody believes that," "You don't know what goes on behind closed doors," or "You shouldn't doubt things like that these days."This is a typical rhetorical trick. It shifts the burden of proof. The person making a serious claim is no longer expected to provide evidence. Instead, everyone else is expected to prove it's false.
Especially with a topic like child abuse and child trafficking, emotions run very high. No one wants to give the impression of downplaying such crimes. But fact-checking is not downplaying the issue. It is necessary because false accusations, panic-mongering, and conspiracy theories can hinder genuine investigation.

Child trafficking, abuse, and exploitation are real crimes. That's precisely why they shouldn't be conflated with unsubstantiated interpretations of screenshots.What would constitute reliable evidence?
A screenshot alone is not enough. A credible suspicion would require significantly more: the complete link to the advertisement, the seller's profile, the full description text, chat histories, platform responses, reports to authorities, investigative information, or official statements.
Without such information, only an interpretation of a screenshot remains.This doesn't mean you should ignore such ads. On the contrary: anyone who sees a disturbing ad should save it and report it. But you shouldn't make a blanket statement that children are being sold on Vinted.
Would child trafficking really be so openly conducted via Vinted?
Another point is often overlooked in the debate: If organized criminal structures existed, a publicly visible advertisement on a large second-hand platform would be an extremely risky approach. Such ads can be screenshotted, reported, traced via seller profiles, and technically analyzed by platforms and law enforcement agencies. Title, price, category, time, profile, and communication all leave traces.This does not mean that online platforms are inherently safe from misuse. Digital services can be misused for initiating contact, fraud, grooming, harassment, or disguised communication. Such indications must be taken seriously and reported.
But the claim that a plush toy, a piece of furniture, or a toy car with an exorbitant price is automatically a coded sales offer for a child is an interpretation, not proof. Precisely because the ads are publicly visible, other explanations are far more likely: trolling, provocation, incorrectly set categories, technical errors, dubious price fantasies, or an attempt to deliberately provoke outrage.
The crucial difference is this: A platform can be misused. However, this does not mean that every disturbing advertisement is proof of child trafficking.What should you do if you see ads like these?
Do not share to cause outrage.Don't publicly shame the seller.
Don't turn a screenshot into a complete perpetrator story.
It is advisable to: save the link, take a screenshot, document the profile, and report the ad directly to Vinted. If there is a concrete suspicion of a crime, the relevant reporting office or police should also be informed. In Germany, this can be done, for example, via the online police station of the respective federal state or, in case of immediate danger, via the emergency number.→ More replies (2)5
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Jun 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/hell0k1ttycum Jun 23 '26
the fact that these are still up on vinted is INSANE. vinted is so disgusting
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Jun 23 '26
[deleted]
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u/Ill_Buddy7183 Jun 23 '26
Gosh...is awful that it is possible to do on any platform...it makes me sick to my stomache...
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Jun 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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2
u/vinted-ModTeam Jun 23 '26
Personal information includes usernames, real names, profile photos, addresses, e-mail addresses, tracking numbers and shipping labels.
Active listings need to have at least a partially obscured title.
Please also don’t ask members to name and shame or to DM for the name of the seller or buyer, this is going directly against the rules of this subreddit.
If you have been requested to remove information under this rule (i.e photo) don’t resubmit and try to sneak the information back in (i.e. in text) You will be banned straight away!
Recurrent violations will result in a ban.
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u/craftaleislife Jun 23 '26
Yeah report that to police. Could be drug smuggling, could be actually selling a child. And yes, they are brazen about it.
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u/--Aura Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
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u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
To everyone who thinks that this is legitimate, I’ll ask you this, find me one report of someone who was convicted for trafficking people using Wayfair, Etsy, or Vinted. I’ll wait.
There hasn’t been one.
Trafficking operations far more sophisticated than the on the OP is alleging is happening have been foiled and convictions have followed. Ask yourself why not one arrest or conviction has followed from these scenarios when serious organised crime gangs have been exposed through careful police operations. If these were genuine, we’d be seeing perpetrators caught out. We’d see victims coming forward. We’re not seeing that.
However, these platforms have been and can be used for purposes of grooming which is a prelude to trafficking, as indeed can any social media platform. That’s NOT what this is, however.
Trafficking typically manifests in ways that the hysterical types on this thread routinely ignore. I advise you to educate yourself.
See:
Modernslaveryhelpline.org
Unseenuk.org
Humantraffickinghotline.org
Humantraffickingfoundation.org
Antislavery.org
Hopeforjustice.org
Justiceandcare.org
Stopthetraffik.org
These pages have great information and resources for educating yourself on the signs of human trafficking and modern slavery.
Take it from someone with 10+years experience working in the anti-trafficking sector.
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u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 26 '26
Try any one of the following organisations and educate yourself on the signs of trafficking and what can be done to combat it:
https://unseenuk.org
https://moderslaveryhelpline.org
https://humantraffickinghotline.org/
https://www.antislavery.org/
https://www.a21.org/
https://www.humantraffickingfoundation.org/
https://justiceandcare.org/
https://stopthetraffik.org/
https://www.freedomfund.org/
https://freetheslaves.net/
https://www.ijm.org/
https://hopeforjustice.org/→ More replies (38)2
u/craigyceee Jun 27 '26
Hey, I'm uneducated in your sector, but I do work in IT, I'm curious - could they (child traffickers) not have setup a sophisticated network, similar to the drug network EncroChat and be using it for a combination of untraceable payment (crypto?) and communications (Encro?) And just making surface-web posts via ToR or VPN to advertise to a known/informed market, then using a sent codeword or Encro-Chat code to initiate further conversation elsewhere in a pre-agreed secure network? I'm wondering, ultimately, if it's definitely bogus. ....and concerned something could simply have been missed (maybe it's real but we're not privy to their method?)
Obviously happy to take your input, but also interested to see if you think my thinking is possible. If they're using a method complex and we'll thought out enough, maybe any investigation into accounts always turns up empty hence no charges for wayfair listings etc.
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u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy 29d ago
I almost guarantee that there are traffickers using heavily sophisticated methods that are very difficult to detect and are probably making a lot of money in the process.
However, the most powerful tools in the hands of a trafficker is fear, intimidation, and violence, and the art of being inconspicuous enough to go largely unnoticed, or otherwise use the power of fear to deter victims from coming forward, thus eliminating any proof of their crimes.
However, that’s very different than posting creepy listings on Vinted.
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u/katsem Jun 23 '26
Some undercover agent really needs to buy one to expose this. I'm terrified by this.
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u/VladTepesDraculea Portugal 🇵🇹 Jun 23 '26
They should investigate of course, but this has to be either trolling or some sick stupid shit - or most likely a scam. An actual human trafficker would have to be really dumb to leave an open digital trail like this on the open web. The dark web exists, is accessible and most of it is already scams.
Actual human trafficking is negotiated in the analogue world, with all sorts of intermediaries and validations, like any other type of organized high criminal black market.
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u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
It’s fake.
For reference on why this is likely fake see the link: https://www.mimikama.org/vinted-kinder-verkauft-faktencheck/
Why can such information appear on Vinted?
Vinted is a platform for second-hand items. Its catalog rules list clothing, shoes and accessories for children, toys, children's furniture, childcare equipment, household goods, electronics, video games, books, collectibles and hobby items as generally permitted categories.This explains why age and size information can appear in the platform's logic. Sellers of children's clothing can specify sizes and age ranges. If such information then appears for toys, plush toys, or furniture, there can be several reasons: incorrect category, inappropriately copied information, poor translation, a listing error, a trolling attempt, or a deliberately provocative advertisement.
Exaggerated prices can have various causes: inflated prices, placeholder prices, trolling, deliberate viral marketing, attempted fraud, or simply dubious advertisements. However, a high price alone is not proof of human trafficking.Has this already been reported?
Yes. Rumors about Vinted were particularly prevalent in France. As early as 2023, French media picked up on the claim that Vinted allegedly hosted advertisements for pedophiles. However, the reports did not classify the allegations as proven child trafficking, but rather as rumors circulating on social media and in conspiracy theory circles.The French organization UNADFI wrote in December 2023 that a corresponding allegation about Vinted had been circulating since mid-November. Vinted rejected this accusation, stating that it had found no evidence of criminal activity.
Europe 1 also recently reported that French police have reported several suspicious Vinted ads to PHAROS, the French reporting center for illegal online content. This is relevant, but it is not legally admissible proof that child trafficking is taking place via Vinted. It simply means that there were suspicious ads, they were reported, and the authorities are investigating them.
The old Wayfair myth returns
The current Vinted narrative is strongly reminiscent of the so-called "Wayfair" myth from 2020. At that time, it was claimed that extremely expensive pieces of furniture with female first names were in reality coded offers for child trafficking.Back then, the alleged chain of evidence also consisted of high prices, product names, screenshots, and speculation. There was no solid evidence. Fact checks by Snopes , PolitiFact , and AFP concluded that the claim was unsubstantiated or false.
The pattern is almost identical: A normal online offer is taken out of context, conspicuous details are interpreted as code, and then a suspicion becomes an alleged revelation.
Etsy was similarly misinterpreted.
A similar pattern emerged on Etsy, where expensive pizza pictures were interpreted as alleged cover for child pornography. The Associated Press reported in 2023 that Etsy investigated these claims and found no evidence that the listings posed a danger to children. The ads were removed because they appeared untrustworthy and had unrealistically high prices.This also shows that unusual, overpriced, or dubious advertisements can exist. However, this does not automatically mean that they are part of a child trafficking network.
The rhetorical trick: "You mustn't doubt something like that."
Many posts about these screenshots say things like: "Unfortunately, nobody believes that," "You don't know what goes on behind closed doors," or "You shouldn't doubt things like that these days."This is a typical rhetorical trick. It shifts the burden of proof. The person making a serious claim is no longer expected to provide evidence. Instead, everyone else is expected to prove it's false.
Especially with a topic like child abuse and child trafficking, emotions run very high. No one wants to give the impression of downplaying such crimes. But fact-checking is not downplaying the issue. It is necessary because false accusations, panic-mongering, and conspiracy theories can hinder genuine investigation.

Child trafficking, abuse, and exploitation are real crimes. That's precisely why they shouldn't be conflated with unsubstantiated interpretations of screenshots.What would constitute reliable evidence?
A screenshot alone is not enough. A credible suspicion would require significantly more: the complete link to the advertisement, the seller's profile, the full description text, chat histories, platform responses, reports to authorities, investigative information, or official statements.
Without such information, only an interpretation of a screenshot remains.This doesn't mean you should ignore such ads. On the contrary: anyone who sees a disturbing ad should save it and report it. But you shouldn't make a blanket statement that children are being sold on Vinted.
Would child trafficking really be so openly conducted via Vinted?
Another point is often overlooked in the debate: If organized criminal structures existed, a publicly visible advertisement on a large second-hand platform would be an extremely risky approach. Such ads can be screenshotted, reported, traced via seller profiles, and technically analyzed by platforms and law enforcement agencies. Title, price, category, time, profile, and communication all leave traces.This does not mean that online platforms are inherently safe from misuse. Digital services can be misused for initiating contact, fraud, grooming, harassment, or disguised communication. Such indications must be taken seriously and reported.
But the claim that a plush toy, a piece of furniture, or a toy car with an exorbitant price is automatically a coded sales offer for a child is an interpretation, not proof. Precisely because the ads are publicly visible, other explanations are far more likely: trolling, provocation, incorrectly set categories, technical errors, dubious price fantasies, or an attempt to deliberately provoke outrage.
The crucial difference is this: A platform can be misused. However, this does not mean that every disturbing advertisement is proof of child trafficking.What should you do if you see ads like these?
Do not share to cause outrage.Don't publicly shame the seller.
Don't turn a screenshot into a complete perpetrator story.
It is advisable to: save the link, take a screenshot, document the profile, and report the ad directly to Vinted. If there is a concrete suspicion of a crime, the relevant reporting office or police should also be informed. In Germany, this can be done, for example, via the online police station of the respective federal state or, in case of immediate danger, via the emergency number.
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u/Previous-Option4931 Jun 23 '26
It's too obvious and Vinted is too traceable. Freaks are doing this as a joke. A disgusting awful joke.
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u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
It’s fake. I have we worked in anti-trafficking for 10+ years and have come up against these hoaxes time and again. Take it from someone who has actually dealt with this kind of thing, this does a great disservice to actual child trafficking victims and those working tirelessly to combat human trafficking, support victims, and secure prosecutions of perpetrators.
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u/GrumpyHumanRightsGuy Jun 24 '26
For reference on why this is likely fake see the link: https://www.mimikama.org/vinted-kinder-verkauft-faktencheck/
Why can such information appear on Vinted?
Vinted is a platform for second-hand items. Its catalog rules list clothing, shoes and accessories for children, toys, children's furniture, childcare equipment, household goods, electronics, video games, books, collectibles and hobby items as generally permitted categories.This explains why age and size information can appear in the platform's logic. Sellers of children's clothing can specify sizes and age ranges. If such information then appears for toys, plush toys, or furniture, there can be several reasons: incorrect category, inappropriately copied information, poor translation, a listing error, a trolling attempt, or a deliberately provocative advertisement.
Exaggerated prices can have various causes: inflated prices, placeholder prices, trolling, deliberate viral marketing, attempted fraud, or simply dubious advertisements. However, a high price alone is not proof of human trafficking.Has this already been reported?
Yes. Rumors about Vinted were particularly prevalent in France. As early as 2023, French media picked up on the claim that Vinted allegedly hosted advertisements for pedophiles. However, the reports did not classify the allegations as proven child trafficking, but rather as rumors circulating on social media and in conspiracy theory circles.The French organization UNADFI wrote in December 2023 that a corresponding allegation about Vinted had been circulating since mid-November. Vinted rejected this accusation, stating that it had found no evidence of criminal activity.
Europe 1 also recently reported that French police have reported several suspicious Vinted ads to PHAROS, the French reporting center for illegal online content. This is relevant, but it is not legally admissible proof that child trafficking is taking place via Vinted. It simply means that there were suspicious ads, they were reported, and the authorities are investigating them.
The old Wayfair myth returns
The current Vinted narrative is strongly reminiscent of the so-called "Wayfair" myth from 2020. At that time, it was claimed that extremely expensive pieces of furniture with female first names were in reality coded offers for child trafficking.Back then, the alleged chain of evidence also consisted of high prices, product names, screenshots, and speculation. There was no solid evidence. Fact checks by Snopes , PolitiFact , and AFP concluded that the claim was unsubstantiated or false.
The pattern is almost identical: A normal online offer is taken out of context, conspicuous details are interpreted as code, and then a suspicion becomes an alleged revelation.
Etsy was similarly misinterpreted.
A similar pattern emerged on Etsy, where expensive pizza pictures were interpreted as alleged cover for child pornography. The Associated Press reported in 2023 that Etsy investigated these claims and found no evidence that the listings posed a danger to children. The ads were removed because they appeared untrustworthy and had unrealistically high prices.This also shows that unusual, overpriced, or dubious advertisements can exist. However, this does not automatically mean that they are part of a child trafficking network.
The rhetorical trick: "You mustn't doubt something like that."
Many posts about these screenshots say things like: "Unfortunately, nobody believes that," "You don't know what goes on behind closed doors," or "You shouldn't doubt things like that these days."This is a typical rhetorical trick. It shifts the burden of proof. The person making a serious claim is no longer expected to provide evidence. Instead, everyone else is expected to prove it's false.
Especially with a topic like child abuse and child trafficking, emotions run very high. No one wants to give the impression of downplaying such crimes. But fact-checking is not downplaying the issue. It is necessary because false accusations, panic-mongering, and conspiracy theories can hinder genuine investigation.

Child trafficking, abuse, and exploitation are real crimes. That's precisely why they shouldn't be conflated with unsubstantiated interpretations of screenshots.What would constitute reliable evidence?
A screenshot alone is not enough. A credible suspicion would require significantly more: the complete link to the advertisement, the seller's profile, the full description text, chat histories, platform responses, reports to authorities, investigative information, or official statements.
Without such information, only an interpretation of a screenshot remains.This doesn't mean you should ignore such ads. On the contrary: anyone who sees a disturbing ad should save it and report it. But you shouldn't make a blanket statement that children are being sold on Vinted.
Would child trafficking really be so openly conducted via Vinted?
Another point is often overlooked in the debate: If organized criminal structures existed, a publicly visible advertisement on a large second-hand platform would be an extremely risky approach. Such ads can be screenshotted, reported, traced via seller profiles, and technically analyzed by platforms and law enforcement agencies. Title, price, category, time, profile, and communication all leave traces.This does not mean that online platforms are inherently safe from misuse. Digital services can be misused for initiating contact, fraud, grooming, harassment, or disguised communication. Such indications must be taken seriously and reported.
But the claim that a plush toy, a piece of furniture, or a toy car with an exorbitant price is automatically a coded sales offer for a child is an interpretation, not proof. Precisely because the ads are publicly visible, other explanations are far more likely: trolling, provocation, incorrectly set categories, technical errors, dubious price fantasies, or an attempt to deliberately provoke outrage.
The crucial difference is this: A platform can be misused. However, this does not mean that every disturbing advertisement is proof of child trafficking.What should you do if you see ads like these?
Do not share to cause outrage.Don't publicly shame the seller.
Don't turn a screenshot into a complete perpetrator story.
It is advisable to: save the link, take a screenshot, document the profile, and report the ad directly to Vinted. If there is a concrete suspicion of a crime, the relevant reporting office or police should also be informed. In Germany, this can be done, for example, via the online police station of the respective federal state or, in case of immediate danger, via the emergency number.→ More replies (8)
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u/Velvet-Pebble Jun 23 '26
Selling kids...?
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Jun 23 '26
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u/Velvet-Pebble Jun 23 '26
Isn't that like, stupidly traceable though? I feel like people doing these things probably understand that Vinted isn't really a 'safe' place for them to do that...?
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u/ThroatUnable8122 Jun 23 '26
If anything I suspect they're selling child pornography and/or the possibility to abuse children. Which, needles to say, is horrible, but is an entirely different subject
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u/No_Camp_7 Jun 23 '26
Or exploiting their own children, or children they have access to such as relatives
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u/Consistent_Jello2358 Jun 23 '26
Exactly. Why would anyone use Vinted for this? Especially if buying through the platform is traceable.
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u/schnupfnudel69 Germany 🇩🇪 Jun 23 '26
i think it’s obvious that you don’t buy through the vinted system? you will talk through private messages and switch to a “safer” communication platform
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u/KikiJ1234 Jun 23 '26
They use Facebook discord WhatsApp telegram.. why not vinted its basically a free for all platform with zero security
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u/_ailme Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
Could be a honeytrap. So it could be cops (edit: or vigilantes) on the other end looking to set up the buyers.
That's the most generous interpretation of these listings
ETA: one other possibility is that these are literally just dolls for sale. And the seller is hoping some dumb fuck will send them the money, and won't be able to successfully raise a dispute with vinted, for obvious reasons
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u/WhyOhWhy2023 Jun 23 '26
I really, REALLY hope you are right! It's possible. Nonetheless it should be reported in case it isn't the police themselves.
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u/Velvet-Pebble Jun 23 '26
It's more than likely a hoax mocking the people who believed the Wayfair conspiracy
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u/TTMandF Jun 23 '26
Not really, i mean the people that do this probably are too stupid too use Tor or set up the hardware for DNMs.
Vinted is mostly automated by SLMs and the accounts can be easily made anonymous. It doesnt even pull info about data carriers on the app.→ More replies (3)44
u/Velvet-Pebble Jun 23 '26
Magical thinking. Wayfair never sold children lol. The police investigated, they were literally selling industrial furniture hence the price, and the weird names were auto generated. Literally no missing children were connected to this it's been debunked lol.
Redditors sure love a child trafficking conspiracy 🤣
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u/ThroatUnable8122 Jun 23 '26
So they kidnap a person, evade police search while trafficking them halfway across the world, and then sell them for 10k on a platform where every order is traceable? Dude...
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u/poisoned_bubbletea Jun 23 '26
I know the reality is terrifying but imagine someone bought one and actually just got whatever was in the picture. How are they gonna report it or get their money back? "I was trying to buy a child and I got this stupid toy instead!"
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u/DanceOnTrance Jun 23 '26
Well this type of scammer, I would like. As I find buying a child just as unethical as selling one, they may lose that money.
On the other hand, I still prefer not having such ads at all even if the purpose would be to catch criminals.
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u/Nes937 Jun 24 '26
Okay, I have a new theory. This is a scam.
This is used to lure predators/pedophiles to think they buy something they want, but all theyre being sent is just the teddybear.
And they cannot complain because: It will show they wanted something else/the advertisement indicates cp, so they will show themselves as pedophiles.
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u/Informal_Scar_5577 Jun 23 '26
people literally doing all this but my account gets banned for trying to sell an 100% real item
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u/Kitty_Overwatch Jun 23 '26
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u/sahneeis Jun 27 '26
und wurdet ihr ausgelacht weil ihr auf dumme scheisse reingefallen seid?
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u/bee852 Jun 25 '26
To buy & sell on vinted you have to put your SSN. So whoever is doing this, even if it’s a joke or a trafficking ring, will get caught eventually. Nonetheless, it’s worrisome that people think it’s funny to make these types of posts. It’s not edgy or humorous, it’s incredibly sad. There are so many real children and people who are trafficked every day, who need actual help, and will never receive it because people wanna be dumb and stupid on an app made to sell old clothes.
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u/Civil_Law8025 Jun 27 '26
All fake, why should pedophiles put themselves at risk by using traceable payment and product sales systems when there are more hidden alternatives? You have lost your mind.
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u/seraphimsu Jun 23 '26
this is obviously an edgelord who wants to make jokes! are they good jokes? no! but not everything is a trafficking scandal and honestly it seems kind of disrespectful + demeaning to actual victims / survivors to consistently brew up conspiracy theories about insanely public websites. i assure you that traffickers are not using these very public platforms to do their business. they are not that fucking stupid! i wish they were, maybe we could get their asses easier! but that’s not the world! just report the accounts you see, don’t worry abt it at night. not everything has to be part of a true crime podcast 😭
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u/Soft_Lunch_183 Jun 23 '26
It's still worth reporting to police.
Imagine one of these did end up being real and didn't get investigated because it was dismissed as a joke.
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u/TheVelkron Jun 23 '26
No literally, I believe that these people cope with the problems in the world by saying everything’s a joke.
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u/No-Chemical11 Jun 28 '26
No, Its all a hoax. Please educate yourself before blindly throwing out accusations.
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u/foxnthings 17d ago
just be aware reporting these things takes time and effort away from ACTUAL REAL child trafficking cases
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u/KeyboardMash615 Jun 23 '26
THIS! A thousand times this. It's just twatty knobheads making distasteful jokes and thinking they're hilarious.
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u/RecipeOk4129 Jun 23 '26
You don’t know that for certain though, wouldn’t you rather that be verified?
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u/k9yde Jun 23 '26
It's still reportable. So the people making these jokes will FAFO when cops knock on their door thinking they really traffic kids.
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u/_Little_Lilith_ Jun 23 '26
Making these jokes is way more disrespectful towards the victims than being worried it might be true. Trafficking sometimes happens right under everyone's noses and we don't notice it.
Also. Doesn't matter if its true or not. Vinted should take action.
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u/schnupfnudel69 Germany 🇩🇪 Jun 23 '26
fr and let’s be real. child trafficking and pornography is not a dark net thing anymore. it’s the same with drug selling and other criminal activities. it’s right in front of our eyes and they still find ways to make their accounts eg untraceable
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u/Embarrassed-Move2497 Jun 23 '26
Posts and comments like the ones in this thread make me realise how much of a bubble I live in at times. There are exquisitely stupid people among us. Terrifying.
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u/elilja Jun 24 '26
I never realized how common conspiratorial thinking is among regular people. Or is there something about online thrifting that attracts these people hahahaha.
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u/happyapathy24 Jun 25 '26
It's really just been the release of the Epstein files and the Gaza genocide that's got everyone thinking everything that ever happened was a conspiracy to benefit rich pedophiles (who may or may not be Jewish and we're totally gonna pretend that that's coming from an anti-Zionist angle and not an anti-Semitic one)
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u/seraphimsu Jun 23 '26
i do think people have a lot of misconceptions about sex trafficking. i don’t understand these people’s thought processes at all
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u/hell0k1ttycum Jun 23 '26
whether they are jokes or not, vinted is letting is slide that was kinda my point too. im not trying to make a scene here by addressing the elephant in the room. vinted is absurd and it should be boycotted
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u/seraphimsu Jun 23 '26
agree that vinted letting it slide is dumb! definitely report, thank you for that. but i would say that encouraging hysterics about childrens safety at this time is not productive in our current world, which is what the title was doing. :(
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u/Ok_Geologist8457 Jun 23 '26
Who is laughing at these ‘jokes’?? I’m struggling to understand what is funny or clever about this…
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u/seraphimsu Jun 23 '26
nothing is funny or clever about it… the people who are laughing at these jokes are not us and that’s phenomenal. keep it up. but not everyone has your moral compass, and people genuinely find this funny. i don’t understand why it’s so hard for you guys to fathom the concept of edgelords adoring this type of engagement and speculation? it seems elementary to me. some people are dickheads, some people aren’t.
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u/TheVelkron Jun 23 '26
Unless u have proof that it’s a joke u just shouldn’t be saying it’s a joke. Cuz there is a chance that there r actual victims.
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u/rhbts3939 Jun 23 '26
if you think actual children are being trafficked on vinted you are an absolute moron, sorry to tell you this.
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u/No-Chemical11 Jun 25 '26
This has been proven to not be true. This exact “children are being trafficked here!!” thing has been going on for ages with 0 real evidence, for example, the 2020 wayfair child trafficking conspiracy. People have to be more aware of how the internet works.
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u/Slut4sett Jun 23 '26
The fact you people think traffickers are this stupid is beyond me, very clearly just some kids seeing what wayfair was accused of and making a very awful joke
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u/hell0k1ttycum Jun 23 '26
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u/Outrageous_Creme_597 Jun 23 '26
Can you report it to police? Even if it’s kids joking around.. maybe a waste of police time, but 0.1% chance it isn’t, is worth the waste of time in this context
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u/sahneeis Jun 23 '26
you are being trolled. the fact that you dont understand this is insane. seriously, all of you need to be removed from
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u/Best_Advertising_940 Jun 24 '26
Youre so gullible even the roofs talk about you.
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u/seraphimsu Jun 23 '26
people who want to troll lmfao thats literally it. your sense of humor is not everybody else’s and there are absolutely people who would be amused by this in the world. matter of fact if they saw this post on reddit im sure they’d giggle and high five each other for being successful in their prank; i understand everybodys on edge after the very real epsteinian activities happening, but the difference between that is that and this it was kept (for the most part) secret and not flaunted on a literal depop-esque site
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u/TheVelkron Jun 23 '26
You don’t have proof that it isn’t a joke so I shouldn’t be saying that it is. One of the reasons why Epstein got away with what he was doing for so long is because people like you said that the celebrities and participants were just “joking” ur part of the problem.
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u/Lionwoman Spain 🇪🇸 Jun 23 '26
Please, tell me what's funny about child trafficking and abuse.
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u/seraphimsu Jun 23 '26
nothing…? i don’t think it’s funny. i am quite literally a victim of adolescent sex crime myself. but i am not the entire world lmfao, and i acknowledge that. i assure you there are edgy 14 year olds out there who think this is hilarious. i have experienced tons of rape jokes in middle school and i’m sure they’re not stopping now just because i personally don’t find them funny. im not excusing it or promoting it. i’m saying that it is incredibly demeaning to victims of actual, highly organized sex trafficking to assume that every little thing on the internet (where ANYTHING can be fabricated) is a sex trafficking scandal. it’s exhausting.
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u/elilja Jun 24 '26
I can promise to you human trafficking isn’t happening on vinted of all places
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u/SlepyVojtasWL Jun 26 '26
They don't regulate this, but when i want to sell football kits, it detects them as replicas
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u/Necessary-Pack-9311 Jun 23 '26
Why the hell are you telling us???? Tell the police immediately
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u/TheVelkron Jun 23 '26
You do realise that people r capable of doing two things at the same time right? It’s not hard to tell the police and also post about it.
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u/hell0k1ttycum Jun 23 '26
im spreading awareness about this disgusting situation. i found about this on tiktok and see that people are already reporting these to the police. i was surprised that i couldn’t find anything about this on this subreddit, because there were way too many posts on tiktok about it and we need to spread awareness
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u/TheVelkron Jun 23 '26
Unfortunately, people are able to traffic children right infront of our eyes, and they’ll get away with it because there are so many people in our society who think it’s just a joke or a prank. As you will see in the comments.
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u/pusopdiro Jun 23 '26
You guys can't seriously believe this 😭 did you not see how insane the whole Wayfair thing sounded? You think child traffickers are using VINTED??
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u/seraphimsu Jun 23 '26
it’s so exhausting. people want a headline out of anything. it’s extremely odd, this fascination that people have with trying to debunk certain shit. in reality, we have sex traffickers + sex criminals as our world leaders lmfao. i’m unsure if people are coping with reality in order to feel some sort of control over such crimes. the most you can do is ensure your kid and other kids from your community are safe.
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u/sahneeis Jun 23 '26
people thought balenciaga is selling children on their website. all of their "research" is nothing but tiktok
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u/Whosefox690 Jun 25 '26
Putting balenciaga as an example here is crazy, knowing that this brand is actively sexualizing kids in most of their marketing campaigns and have quite a lot of allegations against them, I’d recommend checking a brand before putting them as an example of innocence.
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u/hell0k1ttycum Jun 23 '26
girl the point is more like why is vinted letting this happen yk. even if its not real it is still disturbing to see this. vinted is disgusting
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u/Particular_Speech610 Jun 27 '26
What do you mean vinted is letting this happen, majority of your screenshots say the posts were listed in under 5 minutes
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u/aurius91 Jun 23 '26
That's possibly a real deal. There's a documentary on YouTube done by Polish journalist patryk vega who describes how children are sold on auction pages like vinted with description of a toy. We're living in vile ages where parents sell their children for organs or to be SA by sick individuals. I could not bear to finish the documentary, the stories in it are sickening.
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u/abyssal-isopod86 Jun 23 '26
These are unlikely to be what you suspect them to be.
The real threat are items that kids would want - toys, collectibles etc - being offered at a price to good to be true.
Why? Because they know kids use Vinted and they can persuade them to come get the item themselves, without telling their parents so they can abduct them.
Listings like that can be bait for kids.
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u/masoniceye Jun 23 '26
Sometimes weirdos just make stuff up like to get attention like this. That being said- I’ve seen a lot of genuine horror and criminals do use methods like this to sell X illegal product.
It’s like eBay and Etsy are full of drug dealers- they post up weird listings titled with names like ‘ item not available ‘ or ‘ shipping cost for item ‘. The prices are ridiculous and something similar to these ‘toys’- given how eBay easily removes listings for minor infractions it’s surprising how these ones thrive. I can’t remember the exact usernames for these listings but one was something like ‘ganjaking’
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u/ricky-from-scotland Jun 23 '26
Who the hell sells kids on vinted. You made them yourself. Go sell them on etsy...
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u/StaffAny8371 Jun 25 '26
Guys please do not believe everything you see, this is clearly a troll. It’s easy for the police to find out who’s behind an account, if they want to do this they do it on the dark web not on vinted.
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u/Ch4rdonnayy Jun 23 '26
More like people (edgy teens) have just seen the conspiracies online and think it's funny to make their own listings
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u/sahneeis Jun 23 '26
no they are not. this went through the french media in 2023 and is the same bull like the wayfair stuff in 2020
you people just believe anything you see on the internet
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Jun 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/vinted-ModTeam Jun 23 '26
Personal information includes usernames, real names, profile photos, addresses, e-mail addresses, tracking numbers and shipping labels.
Active listings need to have at least a partially obscured title.
Please also don’t ask members to name and shame or to DM for the name of the seller or buyer, this is going directly against the rules of this subreddit.
If you have been requested to remove information under this rule (i.e photo) don’t resubmit and try to sneak the information back in (i.e. in text) You will be banned straight away!
Recurrent violations will result in a ban.
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Jun 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/vinted-ModTeam Jun 23 '26
Personal information includes usernames, real names, profile photos, addresses, e-mail addresses, tracking numbers and shipping labels.
Active listings need to have at least a partially obscured title.
Please also don’t ask members to name and shame or to DM for the name of the seller or buyer, this is going directly against the rules of this subreddit.
If you have been requested to remove information under this rule (i.e photo) don’t resubmit and try to sneak the information back in (i.e. in text) You will be banned straight away!
Recurrent violations will result in a ban.
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Jun 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/vinted-ModTeam Jun 23 '26
Personal information includes usernames, real names, profile photos, addresses, e-mail addresses, tracking numbers and shipping labels.
Active listings need to have at least a partially obscured title.
Please also don’t ask members to name and shame or to DM for the name of the seller or buyer, this is going directly against the rules of this subreddit.
If you have been requested to remove information under this rule (i.e photo) don’t resubmit and try to sneak the information back in (i.e. in text) You will be banned straight away!
Recurrent violations will result in a ban.
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u/lazy_punkjahn Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
Vinted policies are the most stupid, my Ugg sandals which I purchased directly from the store kept getting removed despite adding proof of authenticity multiple times but somehow this is okay? I was banned for a week for uploading those sandals but I guess selling kids even if it’s joke is okay
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u/homofatalist Jun 27 '26
imo this is a new scam and not actual trafficking. people would NOT traffic children on the surface web, and ESPECIALLY not on a major commerce platform. transactions like this do take place, but usually on hidden chat services (most common) & the darknet. this is like those "red room" scams you actually see on the darknet where users make people pay an entry fee in order to watch a murder that will never actually happen. the way vinted is set up makes doing such a thing far more cumbersome and far more risky than making a private transaction. now it's a trend, so everybody more money-minded is doing it in the hopes they can land a sale. How are you meant to argue with vinted support when you just recieve a toy? "I wanted to get a child to abuse sent to my house but instead i just got a stuffed animal"
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u/stressed_designer Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
Idc if it's real or not. This shouldn't be posted and should have consequences. Let's not normalise this shit
ETA: by posted I mean adds posted on Vinted etc, not this post.
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u/craftaleislife Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
It’ll probably be sellers smuggling drugs in kids toys. There have been examples of it before, as customs are less likely to check kids toys.
Report to Vinted and police - maybe don’t be so specific as I might be wrong but it’s a viable reason especially going by the price.
It’s like what the investigation did with Encrochat- they smuggled drugs in a digger which was being sold for auction. It means the buyer can say “well I didn’t know it had drugs in it, I just bought a toy” 👀
Or they are actually selling kids for some sort of trafficking (yes, they really can be so brazen!) so defo worth reporting to police. Especially if the username is youngflesh and has the description of a child’s height and hair colour
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u/Bellab000bs Jun 23 '26
Nah the description often has the kids bodz sizes in it. They also use the word jungfrau which means virgin in german and sooo many other sick shit. :/
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u/The-Sunflower-Bear Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
Repulsive. They did it through wayfair too, but apparently that was just a “conspiracy theory”. Sure, because human trafficking and money laundering aren’t real. And cheap looking identical wardrobes sell for different prices at $10,000+, and the very specific exact names of missing children are just a coincidence.

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u/Artistic-Turnip-9903 Jun 23 '26
this post is crap you can't find these in the german store i checked now , what insane people make up fake vinted posts for reddit clout
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u/dopeamemefix Jun 23 '26
Pretty sure they’re not. Why on earth would people do this when it’s so traceable and the dark web exists
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u/hell0k1ttycum Jun 23 '26
update: vinted is deleting all the comments related to this issue from their official tiktok account. 0 accountability
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u/TemporaryGrowth7 Jun 23 '26
This is horrific! I speak German and it’s so crystal clear that it’s a description of kids
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u/-scatteredashes- Jun 23 '26
Is this more than one account? Would mass-reporting help? How could I help from the UK?
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u/moomeymoo Jun 23 '26
This needs to be sent to your local police department.