Is this a police job? Threatened by Vinted seller

[Reasonswhy]

I know I’m not, but posting for traffic as no idea what to do.
Item for Christmas arrived today and was clearly fake so applied for a refund via Vinted. I’ve had a series of threatening messages from the seller saying he needs the money, and he has my address so will come and find me. He included a photo of himself holding an air rifle. I’m not easily spooked but feel really scared now as he does have my address and seems very angry. I’ve filed a “help” through Vinted but they may not even read it for 48 hours. Do I call 111? On my own with 2 kids so feel really on edge.

I personally wouldn’t call 999 as it’s unlikely you are in danger and he sounds underage (not saying they’re not dangerous).

I’d call 101 as you’ve done and then escalate it if needs be.

I don’t know how it works but I assume as it’s not an emergency 999 will push it far back whereas 101 may have more time to sort it out.

Gosh that's absolutely awful op. What a stressful situation, I was only thinking the other day that there are so many counterfeit items for sale now. What happened to their strict measures? Seems that fakes are too lucrative to resist. It's obviously making them loads.

This is a 999 job. If 101 fob you off, call 999. Your safety and that of your family has been threatened.

Where I live, parcels don’t get delivered to home addresses, so we don’t have the issue of sellers or buyers seeing where you live.

I’ve only had to report once for fakes; the seller was most indignant and trotted out the usual defensive line of the price being so cheap, I should have known. Regardless, it’s against Vinted rules to knowingly sell on fake gear.

That's a bit unfair.

Ours is open for 4 hours a day, 3 days a week. That's a whole 12 hours out of 168!

He's a total tosspot and I'm sure the hardest thing he's ever done is throw his teddy bear out of the pram, but that's not the point. Threats while posting images of firearms, even stolen images, is absolutely something to contact the police over.

Jesus. I would also reverse image search the gun, I am sure this is a scam, but as a single parent to a baby, i would feel scared like you.

Agree he's unlikely to actually have an ak47 (according to Google image search), which is slightly reassuring, and hopefully means he's just completely full of shit, but he doesn't need a gun to be a threat.

He does presumably have OPs address, which is enough to make his threats to her / her family credible, and tbh if he's selling fake goods an is that aggressive, it does make me wonder if he might be part of a group manufacturing counterfeit goods and possibly other illegal activities.

The police need to pay him a visit pronto. What a nasty bully. And Vinted need to bar him. What did 191 say.

101

Bloody hell, never mind calling the police, @PinkFootstool, you should join them as a digital investigator!

Are you sure he has your address? I've never had a person address while using Vinted.

Call the police now. That’s appalling

Sounds like a kid still living at home with his parents. His friends have conveniently just been released from jail and are going to come get you over £20? I’d print it all out and report to the local police station. They’ll likely be able to track him down. I wouldn’t be worried, it’s a troll/teenager but no harm teaching him a lesson and sending the police to his parents’ door.

Ah of course! I always do digital label with drop off so I’d never seen anyone address

I'm an ex detective constable and work in intelligence now 😂😂

I think it actually is 999 worthy. I think you should call them now.

🥳
I miss the randomness of being front desk cover. Some absolutely insane things happen at police front desks 😂

I would find small comfort in the fact that he has got the image online I know that doesn’t help much. He’s a kid being silly and will soon regret it!

Have you got his address?

YANBU. That's a credible threat and the police need to step in.

This is one such advantage of getting things delivered to a locker.

Another one who'd be dialling 999. Good luck with the police, OP.

Those messages are unhinged. Hopefully just some dumb little knobhead who's about to get the shock of his life when the police turn up.

Ah, it is a fake image. I wouldnt worry now and would continue perusing it with Vinted.

Doesn’t matter if the seller has sent a fake image. He has threatened her; this is a police job. Hopefully he’ll not do this to someone else.

Nah, hold his feet to the flames. This sort of bravado bullshit needs to be jumped on and hard. Not allowed to pass without criminal consequences.

This