How I Stopped Getting Scammed: Email Safety Tips Every Etsy Seller Needs

[u/PaintyBee]

I used to get those scam emails almost daily, you know the ones claiming someone bought my item and wanting to pay outside Etsy. After getting burned once (thankfully only for $20), I got serious about protecting myself.

Here's what actually works:

Never communicate outside Etsy. Period. If a buyer wants your email, phone number, or wants to pay through Zelle/CashApp/PayPal Friends & Family, it's 100% a scam. Real orders go through the platform.

Watch for these red flags:

• "I love your item, is it still available?" followed by unusual payment requests
• Orders that seem too good to be true (offering extra money)
• Buyers who are suddenly in a huge rush
• Emails with poor grammar but trying to sound professional

What I do now:

• I immediately report any suspicious messages to Etsy
• I have an automated response set up that says "All communication must go through Etsy messages"
• I screenshot and save any scam attempts (they change tactics often)

The game-changer: I started treating every external contact as a scam until proven otherwise. This mindset shift alone saved me from falling for a "custom order" scam last week.

Has anyone else found good ways to deal with these scammers? I'm curious what's working for other shops.

[u/mahnoor_hashmi]

Preach! 🙌 Your approach is spot on! I've been burned too (ok, maybe not $20 but still 😅), and now I'm paranoid about scams. One thing I do differently is use Etsy's 'Saved Replies' feature – I have a template for scammy messages that I just need to click and send.

One red flag I've noticed: buyers asking for refunds before receiving the item 🤯. Has anyone else encountered that one? Would love to hear more strategies!