Depop Users Hit Hard by Account Hacking and Scams
Picture logging in to sell a vintage jacket, only to discover a total stranger is running scams under your name — or worse, threatening your safety. That’s what happened to Sophia, a regular Depop user. One day, her friend gave her a heads-up: someone had hijacked her account. A hacker not only took control, but also publicly listed Sophia’s full name and home address on her profile. They added a menacing note: “House for sale! Watch what I get delivered to it.” That wasn’t just unsettling — it felt downright dangerous.
Sophia did what most of us would do. She scrambled to get her presence wiped from the platform, begging Depop through email to delete her account for good. But with every hour dragging on without a reply, anxiety set in. Depop didn’t get back to her for five days, leaving her data — and her peace of mind — completely exposed.
It’s not just Sophia. Amelia Strike, a law student from Birmingham, was locked out of her Depop account back in 2020. At first, she thought she’d just mixed up her password. Later, a stranger contacted her: the hacker behind her profile was selling fake Apple AirPods and convincing buyers to pay through PayPal’s “Friend and Family” option. This method offers no fraud protection — once the cash is sent, it’s gone, and there’s no easy way to get a refund. Amelia, meanwhile, had zero control over her account and was watching as her name was used to rip off buyers.
How Hackers Breach Depop Accounts
So how do these hacks actually happen? It comes down to something called credential stuffing. Here’s the deal: when people use the same password for lots of different websites, it only takes one big data breach for hackers to get into everything. Automated tools let attackers plug those exposed usernames and passwords into hundreds of platforms, searching for hits. If you reuse passwords, it’s like handing over the keys to your entire online life.
Compromised Depop accounts become a hot commodity. Hackers bundle and resell them on dark web marketplaces — like Empire Market — turning your lost login into someone else’s profit. From there, the new owner can run financial scams, further exposing both buyers and sellers.
There’s more than one trick up their sleeve. The most common scam involves convincing buyers to send money through payment channels that offer no recourse, bypassing Depop’s security nets. Once the payment’s made, the hacker can vanish with the cash and leave buyers empty-handed. In other cases, the hacked account will post listings for must-have gadgets or rare collectibles. After payment, the item never ships — and the victim’s trust in the platform takes a serious hit.
And while Depop has measures for reporting and recovery, victims like Sophia often find support painfully slow. Those lost days matter, especially when personal info is out in the open or buyers are actively being taken for a ride.
- Don’t reuse passwords: Make them unique for every website and use a password manager if needed.
- Watch your listings and messages: Unfamiliar activity or mystery products should be a red flag.
- React fast: Change your password the moment you spot something off, and contact Depop support immediately.
- Warn your buyers: Let people know if your profile’s been hijacked, and never encourage payments outside the app.
Depop has become more than just a place to sell vintage jeans — it’s a fresh hunting ground for digital scammers. If you like buying or selling online, don’t take your account security lightly. The threats are real and the fallout can hit closer to home than you ever expect.
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