Mysterious Ads and Fictional Prices: What Is the Truth Behind Child Trafficking Claims on Vinted?

Image caption, accusations against Vinted app for child trafficking

Article Information

Author, Dalal Jebril - BBC Verify

Published 1 hour ago

Reading time: 6 minutes

Images of ads, said to be posted on the Vinted app, have circulated on social media platforms, showing dolls, toys, and children's items listed at prices reaching thousands of euros. But some users saw them not just as ads with unrealistic prices, but as potential evidence of a network using the platform for child trafficking. So what is the truth behind these claims?

Vinted is an online platform for buying and selling second-hand clothing and items, allowing users to post their ads and communicate directly with buyers. It launched in Lithuania in 2008, operates today in several European countries, and is used by millions to buy and sell used goods.

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These claims were based on what posters described as 'suspicious symbols' in these ads, including references to age, height, and gender, as well as words like 'small', 'obedient', and 'virgin'. Some considered the displayed products and prices to actually indicate ads for selling children.

Some videos and posts promoting this narrative gained millions of views, spreading from French- and German-language accounts to content in English and Arabic.

But the BBC Verify team tracked the circulating evidence, revealing a significant gap between what the images show and the conclusions drawn from them.

Does the 'age' field indicate a child?

Some posts focused on specific ages appearing alongside toys and dolls, claiming this was 'one of the most prominent pieces of evidence that the ad is not about a product, but about a child'.

However, Vinted explained on its website that 'the age shown in these ads refers to the age group for which the toy is designed, just like the age label on the toy's packaging, not to children'.

The same applies to the measurements or heights appearing in some images; they may indicate the size of the doll, toy, or clothing item for sale.

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As for the words described by users as 'codes', it is difficult to evaluate them without seeing the original ad in its full language, product category, and context in which they were used.

The BBC Verify team was unable to confirm the authenticity of these ads.

Image caption, example of ads circulated on Vinted app.

Images 'without original links'

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We began by examining the images and posts used to support the circulating claims.

In most cases, the posts did not include direct links to the original ads on Vinted, but rather isolated images that were recirculated across different accounts, sometimes less than a minute after the ad was posted.

Some of the same images appeared in posts in multiple languages, but with different narratives.

Each time, new explanations were added about the price or words appearing in the ad, without providing information about the account that posted it, its creation date, or the country where it appeared.

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The absence of an original link does not necessarily mean the ad did not exist; it may have been deleted by the seller or removed from the platform, making it difficult to verify whether the original image was altered or the ad details were taken out of context.

We searched for several ads using product names and words appearing in the images, and also conducted reverse image searches to try to find older versions or identify their original source.

But we were unable to find or independently verify several of the circulated ads.

In the posts we examined, we found no evidence that the posters contacted the sellers, verified account holders' identities, or obtained information about an actual sale transaction.

Why were the prices so high?

The unusual prices were one of the most prominent elements fueling suspicion.

Some screenshots showed used toys and dolls listed for thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, of euros. However, a high price, no matter how illogical, alone does not prove criminal activity.

Users on selling platforms can set any price they wish, even if exaggerated. The price may result from a mistake, an attempt to attract attention, a temporary measure to prevent purchase, or part of negotiations conducted outside the listed price.

Also, some rare toys and collectibles may indeed be offered at high prices, though this may not apply to all circulated images.

Vinted also said some ads may have been created by users trying to conduct their own 'investigations' or test the reactions of suspected sellers or buyers.

What do official investigations say?

Authorities in France and Germany have begun examining some of the circulated posts and ads linked to the platform.

But opening an investigation does not mean the claims have been confirmed; rather, authorities review reports and try to determine if there is evidence warranting further action.

German police said there is, so far, no reliable evidence of actual cases of child trafficking via Vinted.

The company said it conducted an internal review and found no evidence linking the alleged ads to 'child trafficking' operations.

It added that it believes some posts may fall under 'misleading content' or 'material designed to incite fear' with the aim of achieving widespread reach on social media.

Vinted emphasized that it is cooperating with relevant authorities in ongoing investigations and that it removes ads violating its rules and takes action against associated accounts.

The company's response alone is insufficient to deny any potential violation, just as screenshots are insufficient to prove it. Determining whether a crime has been committed remains the purview of authorities, who can access account data, communications, and financial transactions.

Image caption, similar claims have targeted sites like Etsy and Waivers

A recurring pattern of conspiracy theories

This is not the first time strange ads or high prices on e-commerce platforms have turned into claims about child trafficking.

Similar claims related to Vinted spread in France in 2023, and other platforms, including Waivers and Etsy, have faced similar narratives in the past.