Vinted - is this a scam?

[PercyMcPigface]

I bought a coat on Vinted last week for £70. A couple of days later the seller messaged me and asked what address I wanted it posting to (which seemed a bit odd, isn't that automatic)? Anyway I told him and he messaged back and said all posted.
Today I got a message from Vinted saying sale cancelled and refund in progress.
2 hours later another message from the seller saying that it's in the post so please could I pay again.
I've messaged him back and said when I get the coat, I'll pay - but is this a known scam? (Sorry I'm a bit new to Vinted)

Yes it's a scam!

Yes scam I think. Ignore everything from now on.

Is it your first purchase? Is the refund genuine or is just a message he has sent to make it look like it's been cancelled. Go into orders rather than messages and check.

Also have a look at your account balance.

How is the seller sending it? Do they have any reviews?

Thank you. My account balance is zero. It's definitely showing as a refund is being processed ("because the seller didn't send the item"). I've bought a few things but my feedback score will be low at the moment.

Since I first posted, he's sent me another message saying " but what if you don't pay and it shows up". I feel like responding with "well that's not my problem mate", but I won't

He has one piece of feedback as a buyer. I can't work out if he's just inexperienced too or if he's trying to trick me. He's lucky in the sense that if it does turn up, I'll work out a way to pay him (I guess if that happens, I ask Vinted to help rather than pay him directly?)

What postage option did you pick OP? Royal Mail is different as you have to write the label yourself and pay for postage unlike the other couriers where it’s automated and you get a qr code or label to print. If it was Royal Mail and he didn’t manually click to say he had sent the item in time it would automatically cancel the sale and refund you. If it was Royal Mail there’s a chance he’s just messed up, other courier more than likely a scam I’d say.

It is Royal Mail - I think, looking at the messages again, that it's someone young who is really worried they've lost £70. I'm not about to pay him until the coat arrives, but obviously I will do when it does. I assume doing that via PayPal or something will be ok?
Thanks to everyone who has helped, I'm ever so grateful

If it arrives and you’re happy with it just pay over the money PayPal, as long as your happy can be goods and friends. Just remember to deduct the buyer protection that you now don’t need to pay for as it’s direct :)

Very good point, thank you so much

In your position, I would contact Vinted nad ask for advice. This can't be a unique situation.

With Royal Mail, you have to take a photo of the receipt to upload as the buyer to show proof of postage. If you don’t, Vinted assumes you haven’t sent it. If it’s not a scam, that’s what he’s probably done.

If it arrives, pay via PayPal.

Yeah I have a. Feeling the seller has messed up and posted without informing Vinted! I hate selling via Royal Mail on there, it's too fussy!
Fingers crossed your coat turns up ☺️

I had this too, I paid then heard from Vinted that my payment had been accepted,.Then I heard nothing whatsoever, I received notification from Vinted that a refund had been issued, a message from seller pops up describing some issue with postage they would relist and I would need to purchase it again.I just messaged back saying I no longer required the item.

You pay when it arrives, not before. If the seller has got it wrong, then that's not your problem. If it should arrive, deal with it then! I suspect it won't.

Did it ever arrive?

Ha! No it didn't.

Two weeks later my son said to me, oh I've found another one I like mum - I looked and same coat, same seller! So I reported it to Vinted - not sure if they did anything but he's not selling anything else at the moment

Ahhh good to know!