Fake Escrow / 'Buyer Protection' Site
A scammer proposes a 'secure escrow' or 'buyer protection' service to hold funds, but the escrow site is fake and simply collects your money.
Think a message like this reached you? You can check it right now.
What this scam is
To seem trustworthy on a high-value deal (a car, electronics, a pet), the other party suggests using an escrow or 'protection' service that will hold funds until both sides are satisfied. They send you to a professional-looking but fake escrow site where you deposit money or payment details. The site is controlled by the scammer; your funds go straight to them. Real escrow is arranged independently, not chosen by the person you are dealing with.
What it usually looks like
- A suggestion to use a specific 'escrow' or 'protection' service.
- A polished escrow site you were sent a link to.
- Instructions to deposit by wire or crypto.
- Assurances that funds are 'protected' until delivery.
Common warning signs
- The other party picks the escrow service and sends the link.
- Deposits by wire or crypto to 'escrow.'
- An escrow site with no verifiable history.
- Pressure to fund before you research it.
Example wording scammers use
“Let's use SecureDealEscrow to protect us both — deposit here and funds release on delivery: securedeal-escrow.net”
“Our marketplace's protection program holds your payment safely; fund it to proceed.”
These are illustrative examples written by ScamSplain, not real messages.
What the scammers want
- Your deposit into a fake escrow they control.
- Irreversible wire or crypto payments.
- To hide behind a trusted-sounding process.
What to do
- Never use an escrow service the other party chose or linked.
- If escrow is needed, research and select a reputable one yourself.
- Avoid wire/crypto to unknown 'escrow' sites.
- Walk away if pushed.
What to do if you already responded
- Contact your bank/crypto platform immediately to try to stop the transfer.
- Keep the escrow-site link and messages as evidence.
- Report to ic3.gov and reportfraud.ftc.gov.