Vinted, a second-hand marketplace with 17 million UK users, faces mounting complaints from sellers who say they have been wrongly suspended or permanently banned from the platform. Users report being flagged for fraudulent activity or selling counterfeit items when they believe their actions were legitimate.
Emma Neil, a single mother, was permanently banned after relisting a pair of sandals she purchased for £3 at a lower price of £2. Matthew Connor, one of the platform’s top professional sellers with thousands of positive reviews, was also permanently banned after listing a used North Face fleece, though his ban was later reversed after appeal and Vinted acknowledged the decision was an error. Connor reported losing thousands of pounds in potential sales during the ban period.
Catherine Warrilow, a freelance marketer, created the website sadvintedfaces.com to document user experiences with Vinted’s moderation system. Her data shows over 2,600 users have reported being banned or suspended, with more than 1,600 receiving permanent bans. Warrilow and others suspect the platform is relying too heavily on automated systems that are making incorrect fraud determinations, flagging items like second-hand branded jeans as counterfeit.
Vinted stated that its moderation approach combines trained teams, member reports, and detection tools. The company emphasized that users can appeal decisions and that human review teams assess appeals. Consumer expert Helen Dewdney noted a sharp increase in Vinted-related complaints and advised users to pursue formal appeal processes, contact legal teams, or make subject access requests to understand how decisions were made.
Sellers and critics suggest the platform’s rapid growth may have contributed to the moderation issues. Some users indicated willingness to pay fees to support improved customer service and human oversight, while others have chosen to leave the platform due to frustration with the appeal process and communication experience.
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