Is OfferUp a Scam? Unpacking Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Scams in 2026

Navigating OfferUp: Is It a Scam for Luxury Watch Buyers?

While OfferUp facilitates many legitimate transactions, the platform can unfortunately attract scammers, especially when high-value items like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo are involved. It's crucial for buyers to be aware of the prevalent fraudulent schemes designed to exploit them.

Common Scams Targeting Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo on OfferUp

• ✓ The 'Text Me' Phone Number Phish: Scammers often request to move communication off-platform to text messages. This allows them to isolate you from OfferUp's direct communication logs and potentially gain personal information, which they can use for further scams or identity theft.
• ✓ Fake Payment App Screenshot: Be wary of sellers who provide screenshots of payment confirmations from apps like PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle. These can be easily faked, and you may end up sending your Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo without ever receiving actual payment.
• ✓ Shipping Label Outside App: A scammer might claim they've already shipped the item and will send you a shipping label separately. This is a tactic to bypass OfferUp's shipping protection and could lead to you sending the watch without any recourse if it's lost or not as described.
• ✓ Empty Box Shipping Fraud: This is a particularly egregious scam where the seller ships an empty box, or a box with a counterfeit watch, to your address. By the time you realize, the scammer has your payment, and OfferUp's dispute resolution might be complicated by the 'proof' of shipment.
• ✓ Non-Existent Item Deposit: Scammers may ask for a deposit to hold the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo, promising to finalize the sale later. Once the deposit is made, they disappear, and the item was never truly available.
• ✓ Robbery at Unsafe Meetup: While OfferUp encourages in-person transactions, choosing an unsafe or isolated location for meeting a seller of a high-value item like an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo drastically increases the risk of robbery.

Securing Your Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Transaction

To mitigate these risks when purchasing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo, we strongly recommend utilizing Safe Trade Services for identity verification. For high-value items such as this, our Premium Plan offers robust verification to ensure you are dealing with a legitimate seller.

Always prioritize in-app communication and payment. For in-person meetups, choose well-lit, public, and secure locations like police station parking lots or busy commercial areas. Thoroughly inspect the watch in person before finalizing any exchange.