Questions · Buying used in Newfoundland
How do I spot a Marketplace or Kijiji scam in Newfoundland?
Short answer
Anyone who won't meet in person, wants a deposit or a verification code before you have seen the item, or is "away in Alberta and will ship it" is a scam. Real NL sellers meet you in a parking lot.
The tells
- A deposit or e-transfer before viewing.
- A text asking you to read back a "verification code" (it hijacks your number).
- A price well under the NL used range for something in demand.
- The item is in a different town each time you ask, or a courier is offered.
- Kijiji fraud in NL has made the news more than once; the pattern is always distance plus urgency.
Buying safely
Meet in daylight somewhere busy. Test it: plug it in, start it, run a cycle. Pay cash or e-transfer only after inspecting. Trust the price check more than the story.
Selling safely
Watch for overpayment "by mistake" with a request to refund the difference, fake e-transfer screenshots, and buyers who want it shipped. Local pickup, money confirmed in your account, then hand it over.
Sources
Reviewed by Christian, Newfound Value, EastBid Inc. · Updated 2026-09-21 · General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Got the thing in front of you?
Check its price free