To spot a fake on Vinted, check the neck label, care tag, stitching and logo in the listing photos against a genuine example of the same item, and ask the seller for any close-up that is missing before you pay. For designer listings of £85 or more from an eligible brand, Vinted’s optional Item Verification checks authenticity for £10. If a fake still arrives, press "I have an issue" within 2 days of Vinted telling you it should have been delivered, because after that the money goes to the seller.
What are Vinted’s rules on fakes?
Counterfeits are banned on Vinted, and selling one is illegal even when the seller admits it is a copy. Sellers may only list items they can verify as authentic, with no "not sure if authentic" disclaimers and no "inspired by" wording. Vinted looks for unlawful listings with automated tools and human review, and one counterfeit listing gets the account suspended.
That gives you a first filter. A listing that hedges on authenticity, says "inspired by" or calls itself a replica is already breaking the rules, so skip it and report it. Vinted’s own advice to buyers is to buy branded items only when the seller can reasonably prove they are genuine, and to ask for more details when unsure.
How do you check designer clothes on Vinted?
Compare every detail with a photo of the same item you know is genuine, ideally the brand’s own product shots or a confirmed genuine piece from the same era, because labels change over the years.
| What to check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Neck label | Crisp, evenly spaced lettering in the right font, stitched down neatly. Blurred print or a crooked label is a warning sign. |
| Care tag | Clear print on every page and materials that match the item. Many sportswear labels carry a style code you can search to check the model and colour. |
| Stitching | Straight, dense and even, with no loose threads at the hems, seams or collar. |
| Logo | The right shape, size and position, with clean edges and no stray threads linking the letters. |
| Zips and buttons | Branded or engraved hardware wherever the genuine item has it. |
| Price and stock | A price far below what the item sells for, or the same piece new with tags in every size. |
No single check proves a piece is genuine, and a good fake passes several, so treat one clear failure as a reason to walk away. For brand detail, the Ralph Lauren guide takes the pony, labels and size tags one at a time, and the same like-for-like habit works for any brand.
How do you check trainers on Vinted?
Start with the size label inside the tongue. The print should be clean, and the style code should match the model and colourway when you search it. The box label should carry the same code and size, though boxes get swapped, so a match supports a pair without proving it. Then compare the shape with official photos of the model, especially the toe box and heel, and check the stitching on the upper and the glue line along the sole.
Read the listing words as closely as the photos. Replica sellers use terms such as "UA", "1:1" and "mirror", and a pair with no box or receipt at a fraction of the usual price needs very strong photos. The sneaker reselling guide covers which pairs hold their value.
Which photos should you ask a Vinted seller for?
Ask for the photos Vinted already tells sellers of branded items to post. Its photo guidance asks for at least 3 close-ups of different details, by category:
- Clothing: the logo patch or embroidery, the neck or waist label, the stitching, the care tag, zips or buttons, and a receipt or price tag if there is one.
- Trainers: the insole, the outsole, the stitching, the size label on the tongue, the box, and a receipt or price tag.
- Bags and accessories: the outer logo, the stitching, the inner label, the logos on zips and fasteners, and the serial number on luxury pieces.
On anything expensive, also ask for a photo of the item beside a handwritten note with your username and the date, which shows the seller has it in hand. Vinted does not allow sellers to use photos they did not take, so a stock image tells you nothing. Keep the conversation and payment on Vinted, because its refund policy only covers orders paid with the "Buy now" button.
Tip · If the seller will not send close-ups
Leave the listing. Vinted’s Catalogue Rules expect branded listings to show the item’s authenticity in the photos, so a seller who refuses a close-up of the care tag is refusing something the platform already asks of them.
What does Vinted Item Verification cover?
Item Verification is Vinted’s optional authenticity check, paid by the buyer and free for the seller. A listing qualifies at £85 or more, from a brand on the eligible list, in clothing, bags, accessories, jewellery or shoes, and shows a diamond badge. The list held more than 6,000 brands when we checked it on 13 October 2026, including Nike, adidas, New Balance, Ralph Lauren, Stone Island and The North Face.
| Item Verification | What Vinted says |
|---|---|
| Fee | £10 per item, covering the check and shipping to the hub. The Vinted fee still applies. |
| Who can add it | Buyers only, at checkout, on items traded within the UK. Bundles and Pro accounts are excluded. |
| What it checks | Authenticity only, with no check of quality or condition. |
| How long it takes | The seller has 5 business days to ship, the check usually takes 1 to 2 business days, and delivery usually takes up to 10 business days from shipping. |
| If it passes | The item arrives with a hangtag and a digital report. Trust only a report Vinted sends directly. |
| If it fails | The order is cancelled, the seller cannot relist the item, and you get a full refund within 1 to 2 business days of it going back to the seller. |
On a £90 pair of trainers the fee adds about 11% to the price, and on a £300 coat about 3%. Below £85 the service is not offered, so the checks above are all you have. A pass does not end your rights either, since you can still report an issue within 2 days of receiving the item, or 14 days from a Pro seller.
What should you do if a fake arrives from Vinted?
Vinted’s refund policy gives you 2 calendar days to report a problem, starting when it tells you the order should have been delivered. Confirm the order or let the window pass and the money goes to the seller, after which Vinted cannot refund you. From a Pro seller you have 14 calendar days. A counterfeit counts as significantly not as described, which qualifies for a refund.
- 01Do not press "Everything is OK", and do not wear, wash or remove the tags. Vinted will not refund an item that has been used, washed or changed.
- 02Press "I have an issue" in the conversation. The order is suspended and your payment held.
- 03Send proof from Vinted’s counterfeit help page using its Provide proof button: the whole item, the suspicious parts, every page of the care label and any serial number, in natural light with the text readable.
- 04Keep the item and the packaging until the case closes, because Vinted may ask for more photos.
Vinted says it will get back to you in 48 hours and reviews proof from both sides. Where the evidence of a fake is strong, the seller gets 48 hours to prove the item is genuine, and if they cannot, Vinted cancels the order and refunds the price, the Vinted fee, the original shipping and any verification fee, with no need to send the fake back. If the evidence is unclear, Vinted refunds you but asks you to return the item at your own cost unless the seller agrees otherwise. With no strong evidence of a fake, it completes the order and the return route closes.
Go to Vinted before your bank. Its chargeback page says opening a dispute with your payment provider first may get your account restricted, which what a Vinted restriction means explains.
Warning · Never resell a fake you were sent
Selling a counterfeit is illegal even when the listing admits it, and Vinted suspends an account over one counterfeit listing and blocks it permanently for repeats. Claim the refund instead, and if you sell on Vinted, read how to avoid a Vinted ban.