Anti-fraud guide

If you suspect a scam and have not yet paid or shipped:

1. do not proceed;
2. save conversations, photos, usernames and listing details;
3. verify the profile, instrument and payment method again;
4. do not open additional suspicious links;
5. report the account or listing when appropriate.

If the other person responds with threats, pressure or attempts to stop you verifying the deal, treat that behaviour as another warning sign.

Good seller protection starts with the listing itself.

Clearly describe:

• cosmetic condition;
• known defects;
• modifications and repairs;
• included accessories;
• missing parts;
• functional condition.

Photograph the defects as well as the best-looking parts.

The more accurately the listing represents what the buyer will receive, the easier it is to establish what was disclosed before the sale.

During a transaction, it is useful to keep the essential details in Muviber chat:

• agreed price;
• disclosed condition;
• included accessories;
• known defects;
• delivery method;
• important changes to the agreement.

Immediately moving everything to another channel can make the transaction harder to reconstruct later. If you also use phone or email, avoid losing the record of the key terms agreed on the platform.

Before paying:

• [ ] Have I compared the price with other realistic listings?
• [ ] Have I checked the seller's profile?
• [ ] Is the information I received consistent?
• [ ] Have I seen sufficiently detailed photos?
• [ ] If necessary, have I requested the serial number or a short video?
• [ ] Do I clearly understand the payment method?
• [ ] Am I accessing the payment service through an official channel?
• [ ] Am I avoiding sharing passwords, OTPs, PINs or security codes?
• [ ] Have I kept the important transaction details in the chat?
• [ ] Am I avoiding payment decisions driven only by pressure or urgency?

If one or more important answers are "no", stop and verify before proceeding.

A highly desirable guitar listed for half the usual price, a rare synth being sold urgently, or an expensive amplifier offered for an unusually low amount deserves extra attention.

A low price alone is not proof of fraud. Risk increases when it is combined with other warning signs:

• generic or suspiciously perfect photos;
• no additional photos available;
• a vague description;
• a newly created profile;
• pressure for immediate payment;
• refusal to show the serial number, details or a short video.

Compare the price with several listings for the same model and request specific material that would be difficult to copy from somebody else's listing.

Low price + urgency + inability to verify the item is a combination that should be treated with caution.

Before focusing only on the instrument, look at the person selling it.

Check:

• the age and completeness of the profile;
• other listings;
• any available transaction history or reputation;
• consistency between photos, descriptions and prices;
• how the seller answers questions.

No single element proves that somebody is trustworthy. Look for overall consistency between the profile, instrument, conversation and payment process.

A newly registered user can be completely legitimate. An empty profile should therefore never be treated as automatic proof of fraud.

Increase your checks when several of these elements appear together:

• a very recent account;
• no profile information;
• many expensive listings posted at the same time;
• inconsistent photos;
• information that changes during the conversation.

Lack of reputation simply means that you need to rely more heavily on verifiable evidence from the individual transaction.

Buying and selling used gear is usually straightforward. Risk increases when a deal happens remotely, when payment comes before delivery, or when one party tries to move the conversation away from normal channels as quickly as possible.

Most scams rely on the same ingredients: urgency, an unrealistic price, information that is difficult to verify, and poorly protected payment methods.

This guide helps you recognise situations that deserve additional checks and gives you a simple process to follow before paying, shipping or sharing personal information.

The basic rule is: the more a transaction is documented, verifiable and consistent, the less room there is for fraud.

A request to complete everything outside the platform does not automatically mean fraud, but it can reduce the traceability of the transaction.

Be cautious when somebody insists on:

• immediately moving the conversation to another channel;
• using unusual or poorly traceable payment methods;
• bypassing the platform's normal procedures;
• paying through links sent in chat, SMS or email.

Before agreeing, ask yourself which protections you are giving up and what evidence would remain available if a dispute occurs.

Whenever Muviber provides an official payment or protection flow for a transaction, use only the process indicated by the platform.

Before completing a transaction:

• do not rush, especially when the other party is creating pressure;
• verify what can be verified: photos, serial number, condition, profile, payment and tracking;
• keep a record of the conversation, preferably on the platform;
• never treat a screenshot as proof of payment;
• never share passwords, OTPs, PINs or security codes;
• be suspicious of links sent to you in order to "receive" money;
• if something does not add up, walking away is always an option.

No single check removes all risk. Safer transactions come from combining several independent checks.