Wallapop, Vinted and second-hand marketplace scams, including used cars

Terms used

• DGT — The DGT is Spain's traffic authority, which keeps vehicle records and registers changes of ownership.
• ITV — The ITV is the compulsory periodic roadworthiness inspection for vehicles in Spain.
• Nota simple — The nota simple is an extract from a register showing claims, such as financing, recorded against a car.
• Reserva de dominio — The reserva de dominio is a financing clause under which the lender stays the legal owner until the car is paid off.
• Contrato de compraventa — The contrato de compraventa is the written sale contract signed by buyer and seller.
• Modelo 621 — The modelo 621 is the form used to pay transfer tax on a used vehicle.
• Jefatura de Tráfico — The Jefatura de Tráfico is the local DGT office where vehicle paperwork is handled.
• Permiso de circulación — The permiso de circulación is the car's registration document.

Key rules

• Stay in the app: Keep chat and payment inside the app, and refuse any request to move to WhatsApp or email.
• Receiving money: You never need to enter card details or a code to receive a payment.
• Protection limits: Buyer protection does not cover cash, face-to-face deals or payments made outside the app.
• Used car: Get the DGT vehicle report before you pay for a used car.
• Transfer deadline: The buyer must register the change of ownership within 30 days.

The main rule: keep everything inside the app

Almost every scam starts the same way: someone wants to leave the app. Keep the chat and the payment inside the app. Refuse to move to WhatsApp or email, and never open a link that is not the app's own address.

Scam patterns to recognise

• Chat moved elsewhere. The other person pushes you to WhatsApp or email, where the app can't protect you.
• Fake payment or shipping links. The page imitates the app or a courier and asks for card details, a bank login or a code.
• Overpayment and refund requests. Someone "accidentally" pays too much and asks you to send the difference back. Refuse.
• Prices that are too good. If a deal looks too good to be true, it usually is.
• Fake "verification" demands. On clothing apps, a "buyer" may say you must verify your account to get paid.
• Phishing emails. Messages that look like the app but come from another domain.

The fake courier trap (for sellers)

A "buyer" says they have paid through the app's shipping. Then you get a link or message from a supposed courier or from the app. It asks you to enter card details or a code to "receive" the money. Instead, your account is emptied.

Warning signs: the chat has moved to WhatsApp, the link domain is not the app's, the buyer is in a hurry, or you must pay or verify something to get paid. Real payment arrives in your in-app wallet automatically. Never enter card data to receive money. Wait until the payment shows in your wallet before you send the item.

What buyer protection covers

Protection works only when you use the app's own checkout and shipping. The money is held until delivery, and you have a short window after delivery to report a problem such as an item not received or not as described. A protection fee is added to the price, and the time limits differ between apps, so read the current terms in each app's help centre.

Cash, face-to-face deals and payments outside the app are not covered. If you pay that way, you have no app protection.

Buying a used car

A car found on these apps needs checks before you pay.

1. Order the DGT vehicle report. You buy it online from the DGT for a few euros. It shows technical data, owner type, ITV status, any lien or embargo, and the history of ITV mileage readings. Look for mileage that drops or doesn't add up. Also ask for the service book and invoices.
2. Ask for a nota simple if the car may be financed. It shows claims such as reserva de dominio, meaning a lender still has a claim on the car.
3. Check the ITV is current.

Transferring the car into your name

Do it in this order:

1. Agree and sign the contrato de compraventa.
2. Pay the transfer tax on modelo 621. The rate is set by your region and is commonly around 4% of the car's official value.
3. Pay the DGT transfer fee, about 55 euros in 2025.
4. File the change of ownership with the DGT, online or at a Jefatura de Tráfico. Bring your ID, the permiso de circulación, the ficha técnica and the contract.

You must register the change within 30 days. The seller should also notify the sale to the DGT, to avoid fines for anything the car does afterwards. A gestor can do the paperwork for a fee.

The documents list, timeline and checklist below carry the detail.

Timeline and deadlines

• Get the DGT vehicle report and check the ITV: before you pay anything

• Agree and sign the contrato de compraventa: once the checks are clear, before paying the tax

• Pay the transfer tax on modelo 621: after signing the contract, before filing

• Pay the DGT transfer fee: after the tax, before filing

• File the change of ownership with the DGT, online or at a Jefatura de Tráfico: within 30 days of buying

• Seller notifies the sale to the DGT: right after the sale, to avoid fines

Documents you need

• Contrato de compraventa: the sale contract, signed by buyer and seller before you pay the tax.

• Permiso de circulación: the car's registration document, handed over by the seller.

• Ficha técnica: the car's technical data sheet, handed over by the seller.

• Your ID, and the seller's ID, for the change of ownership.

• Modelo 621: the transfer tax form, completed and paid to your regional tax office.

• DGT vehicle report: shows liens, ITV status and mileage history, bought online from the DGT before you pay.

• Nota simple from the Registro de Bienes Muebles: shows financing claims such as reserva de dominio on the car.

Checklist

• Pay through the app's own checkout and shipping if you are buying, so the money stays held until delivery.

• Refuse overpayments, refund requests and offers that look too good to be true.

• Check the domain of any link you receive and never open one that is not the app's own.

• Order the DGT vehicle report before buying a used car, and read the liens and ITV mileage readings.

• Request a nota simple if the car may be financed, to see any reserva de dominio or embargo.

• Compare the service book and invoices with the mileage on the dashboard and in the report.

• Check the ITV and the lien report before you sign the contract and pay the transfer tax.

What to watch out for

• Fake courier or payment link: A 'buyer' says they have paid and sends a link that imitates the app or a courier. It asks for card details, a bank login or a code to 'receive' the money, and then empties your account. Never enter card data to receive money. Real payments arrive in your in-app wallet automatically. Stop if the chat moves to WhatsApp or the buyer urges haste.

• Hidden liens on a used car: A car can carry financing or an embargo that stays with the vehicle after you pay. Get the DGT vehicle report and a nota simple before you sign or pay.

• Missing the transfer deadline: If the change of ownership is not registered within 30 days, you can face fines. The seller can also be fined if the sale is never notified. File the change within 30 days of buying, and make sure the seller notifies the sale to the DGT.

Frequently asked questions

Does the app's buyer protection cover me if I pay in cash or outside the app?

No, buyer protection does not cover cash, face-to-face deals or any payment made outside the app. It only applies when you pay through the app's own checkout and shipping.

How much does a DGT vehicle report cost for a used car?

The DGT vehicle report costs a small fee of a few euros, paid online on the DGT website. It shows technical data, ITV status, any lien or embargo and past ITV mileage readings. For financing claims on the car, you can also ask for a nota simple from the Registro de Bienes Muebles.

What does it cost to transfer a used car into my name?

You pay two charges: the transfer tax on modelo 621 and the DGT transfer fee of about 55 euros in 2025. The tax rate is set by your region and is commonly about 4% of the car's official value. A gestor, a paperwork agent, can file everything for you for an extra fee.