Is Poshmark a Scam? 

If you’re thinking of using Poshmark, you need to know: Is Poshmark a scam? 

Below, we explain whether Poshmark is a scam and discuss some steps you can take to improve your safety when using this website. 

What Is Poshmark?

Poshmark is a social commerce platform where you can buy and sell fashion, home decor, and beauty items. These items can be new or second-hand.  

Sellers can take photos of the items they want to sell, price them as they see fit, and list them directly on Poshmark from their phones to be shared with their followers and other users. 

Poshmark provides prepaid shipping labels, and you earn cash once the item you sold is delivered to the buyer. 

Buyers can browse Poshmark to find items they like and follow and like listings to be notified of discounts and special offers. 

Is Poshmark a Scam?

No, Poshmark is not a scam. It’s a legitimate social commerce marketplace.

However, the platform gets mixed reviews: 

• 4.8 out of 5.0 stars on the App Store (from 905,583 ratings). 
• 4.6 out of 5.0 stars on Google Play (from 180,573 ratings and 10m+ downloads). 
• 1.2 out of 5.0 stars on Trustpilot (from 4k reviews). 
• 1.3 out of 5.0 stars on REVIEWS.io (from 206 reviews). 
• 1.3 out of 5.0 stars on sitejabber (from 2,746 reviews). 
• 1.07 out of 5.0 stars on Better Business Bureau (from 574 reviews). Poshmark is not BBB accredited. 

The main complaint is the number of scams on the platform. 

Poshmark scams

Because Poshmark is a marketplace, it’s more prone to potential scams, just like other platforms where individuals buy and sell directly to each other (e.g., eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Mercari).

Poshmark scams target both buyers and sellers. 

Example of a Poshmark scam targeting sellers 

For example, one recent seller scam comes in the form of a message that looks like it comes from Poshmark support in relation to a listing. 

The message says there was an “unknown error” and urges the seller to confirm a sale by clicking on a link provided in the message. The link brings the seller to a fake website that looks like Poshmark but is actually a malicious site designed to steal your login information. 

Example of a Poshmark scam targeting buyers

An example of a scam targeting Poshmark buyers is fake delivery.

This is when the seller delivers something other than the item you bought (such as a small, worthless item or even just a note saying your item is in another package that is on the way) to generate a valid USPS tracking number and trigger Poshmark’s delivery confirmation.

Unless the buyer disputes the delivery, the system automatically assumes the item arrived as described and releases payment to the scammer. 

The scammer then deletes or hides the listing, making it more difficult to file a dispute or review their history. 

Refunds

Poshmark will give you a full refund if the item you bought:

• Isn’t shipped.
• Doesn’t match the listing description. 

When you buy something on Poshmark, the seller doesn’t get your payment until you receive the item and it matches the listing description. You have three days to report an item. If you don’t, the platform assumes you’re happy with the item.  

Poshmark will not refund you if the item doesn’t fit or you change your mind.

It will also not issue a refund if you complete a transaction off Poshmark, so you should always stay on the platform, whether you’re a buyer or a seller. 

Poshmark also offers free authentication and shipping of items that cost $500 or more. 

Security

In its privacy policy, Poshmark says it uses “organizational, technical, and physical safeguards intended to protect  personal data from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.”

It then says that depending on the circumstances, these safeguards can include “facilities access restrictions, system access controls, firewalls, data encryption, and other security best practices.”

On its Google Play page, Poshmark says it encrypts data in transit and allows users to request that their data be deleted. 

In 2018, Poshmark experienced a breach during which user data (including details like first and last name, gender, city, size preferences, etc.) was compromised. 

Poshmark offers two-factor authentication as an additional measure to protect your account. 

Privacy

Poshmark explains the kind of data it collects, why, and with whom it shares it in its privacy policy. 

Poshmark collects the following personal information:

• Information you provide, e.g., name, email, username, phone number, sizing, gender, age, etc. 
• Information you share when using Poshmark or interacting with other users, e.g., closet descriptions, search terms, etc. 
• Information you provide when you contact Poshmark’s customer support. 
• Information you provide when verifying your identity. Poshmark may collect identification information for fraud prevention and compliance reasons, including passport number, date of birth, and social security number. They may also request photo verification, which can involve collecting, processing, and retaining your face geometry data or similar.  
• Automatically collected information when you use Poshmark, e.g., links or pages you click on. 
• Information from social media platforms (if you connect your social media profiles).

Poshmark uses this information to personalize its services, facilitate transactions, deliver customer support, prevent fraud, improve security, advertise to you, and ensure legal compliance. 

It may share this data with service providers, other users for transactions (e.g., address for shipping), advertisers, affiliates, as required by law, and with your consent. 

Poshmark can retain your data for as long as needed for business, legal, or compliance reasons (e.g., 7 years for financial data).

Data may be transferred internationally, especially to/from the U.S.

Poshmark’s privacy policy gets a “Warning” rating from the Common Sense Privacy Program. This means, Poshmark “Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.”

Among the concerns flagged are the following:

• Personal data is sold/rented to third parties. 
• Personal information is shared for third-party marketing. 
• Personalized ads are displayed. 
• Third parties collect data for their own purposes. 

Terms of Service; Didn’t Read (ToS;DR), which also rates internet services’ privacy policies, hasn’t rated Poshmark yet but notes a few concerns. 

Specifically, ToS;DR says that you are tracked via web beacons, tracking pixels, browser fingerprinting, and/or device fingerprinting. 

So, Should You Use Poshmark?

Probably. 

If you want to buy/sell items, Poshmark is a relatively good platform for doing so. Just be wary of scams that target both buyers and sellers. 

And, of course, explore alternatives. 

How to Use Poshmark Safely

• Stay on the platform. Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, never agree to move off the Poshmark platform to complete a transaction. Poshmark does not protect off-platform transactions. 
• Don’t share personal information. Scammers may try to trick you into sharing your data, like your email address, phone number, and financial information. 
• Go with your gut. If something feels off, it probably is. Block and report suspicious accounts. 
• Check ratings, reviews, and history. Purchase from sellers with positive feedback and check buyer history to make sure you’re not selling to a scammer. This is particularly important for high-ticket items. 
• Ask for more images and information. If you’re not sure about a listing, ask the seller for more information and request additional photos. Avoid deals that seem too good to be true, as they are more than likely scams. 
• Don’t click on links. Scammers are known to send both buyers and sellers links within messages to bring them to malicious websites (usually spoofed versions of Poshmark) that trick them into disclosing sensitive data, like login details or financial information. 
• Use Poshmark’s shipping labels. If you’re a seller, always use Poshmark’s prepaid labels to make sure the item is tracked and protected under Poshmark’s policies. 
• Document your items. Sellers should take detailed images of their items, especially high-ticket ones, before shipping them in case of any disputes over damaged or missing items. 
• Turn on two-factor authentication. Poshmark offers 2FA, so make sure to enable it to keep your account secure. 
• Use a strong password. And don’t reuse it elsewhere. 
• Monitor account activity. Periodically check your account for any unusual activity and report anything suspicious immediately.