Beware of Third-Party Website Scams
Fraudsters sometimes attempt to move buyers and sellers away from Kijiji by directing them to third-party websites that appear legitimate but are designed to steal money, personal information, or account credentials.
These websites may imitate trusted businesses, financial institutions, shipping companies, vehicle services, or other well-known organizations.
How These Scams Work
A scammer may ask you to:
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Complete a transaction through an external website;
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Verify your identity using a third-party service;
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Confirm a payment through a link they provide;
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Pay for shipping, insurance, vehicle reports, or buyer verification;
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Continue a conversation outside of Kijiji;
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Enter banking, credit card, or personal information on an unfamiliar website.
The website may look professional and may even use logos, branding, or language copied from legitimate companies.
Common Examples
Third-party website scams can take many forms, including:
Fake Delivery or Escrow Services
A buyer or seller claims a third-party service will safely hold payment or arrange delivery.
The website may imitate a shipping company, payment provider, or escrow service but is actually controlled by the scammer.
Fake Vehicle Verification Services
A buyer or seller asks you to purchase a vehicle history report or complete a verification process using a specific website.
The website may collect payment information or personal details without providing a legitimate service.
Fake Payment Confirmation Pages
You receive an email, text message, or website link claiming that payment is pending and requires additional action.
These websites often attempt to steal banking credentials, passwords, or payment information.
Fake Employment or Application Portals
A job posting directs applicants to an external website that requests sensitive information or upfront payments for training, equipment, certifications, or background checks.
Legitimate employers generally do not require applicants to pay fees in order to apply for a position.
Warning Signs
Be cautious if:
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You are pressured to leave Kijiji to complete a transaction;
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A website address looks unusual or contains extra words, numbers, or misspellings;
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The website was recently created or contains poor-quality content;
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You are asked to provide banking credentials, passwords, or verification codes;
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You are asked to pay using cryptocurrency, gift cards, wire transfers, or other difficult-to-trace payment methods;
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The other party refuses to meet in person or communicate through normal channels;
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An offer seems unusually urgent or too good to be true.
How to Protect Yourself
To reduce your risk of fraud:
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Be cautious when clicking links sent by other users;
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Verify website addresses carefully before entering any information;
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Research unfamiliar businesses or services independently;
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Keep communications on Kijiji whenever possible;
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Never share passwords, banking credentials, verification codes, or sensitive personal information with another user;
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Be skeptical of requests involving unusual payment methods or third-party websites.
Important
Kijiji cannot verify, endorse, or guarantee the legitimacy of third-party websites shared by users.
If you believe a user is attempting to direct others to a fraudulent website, please report the conversation or listing to Kijiji.
Think You’ve Encountered a Scam?
If you believe you have interacted with a fraudulent website:
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Stop communicating with the suspected scammer;
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Contact your bank or payment provider immediately if financial information was shared;
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Change any affected passwords;
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Report the incident to Kijiji;
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Consider reporting the incident to the appropriate law enforcement or anti-fraud authority.
Taking action quickly may help reduce the impact of fraud and protect your personal information.