- The claim that
sellers on Vinted — the European second-hand marketplace giant — are trafficking children is still under investigation. - The rumor originated on social media, where European users shared alleged Vinted listings offering cheap, used items for thousands of euros or dollars, sometimes citing ages or implausible sizes for the objects. As of this writing, Snopes’ searches of Vinted had not uncovered any of the listings described in the posts.
- France High Commissioner for Childhood Sarah El Haïry said she referred the matter to courts and the Arcom — the regulatory authority in charge of supervising digital media.
The Ofmin, a unit of the French judicial police dedicated to investigating crimes against minors, has reportedly launched a preliminary investigation into the matter. The launch of such an investigation does not confirm that any criminal activity took place. Snopes reached out to El Haïry’s office and France’s judicial police, and awaits responses. - Police in Frankfurt, Germany, said in an Instagram post that they were investigating the claims to “rule out any danger or criminal activity,” despite “strong indications” that such posts were fake.
- On June 25, 2026, an investigative report from a reputable French news outlet said the seller of an air conditioner remote for 20,000 euros offered the journalist a red-haired seven-year-old girl, suggesting he could also change her hair color. However, the reporter later updated the article to say the seller was actually a 17-year-old boy on a mission to catch “pedos.”
- In an emailed statement to Snopes, Vinted said it took such reports seriously and was “reviewing each case carefully.” It also reiterated a statement on its Instagram story that said the company “found no credible cases linking [listings shared online] to child trafficking activity.” The company added that it is “swiftly removing [listings posted to fuel the rumor] and taking action on accounts, including bans.”
Snopes reached out to the company to ask how it planned to cooperate with French authorities.
In June 2026, a rumor spread online that sellers on Vinted, a European second-hand marketplace giant, were trafficking children.
Several social media users shared screenshots of alleged Vinted
The number 152 could plausibly refer to the size of a 12-year-old child — 152 centimeters, or 1.52 meters. “They’re selling kids on Vinted THEY’RE SELLING KIDS ON VINTED IN GERMANY,” the post said.
They’re selling kids on Vinted THEY’RE SELLING KIDS ON VINTED IN GERMANY pic.twitter.com/0azqlblKTW
— 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝓪 🎸🔮 #rinmissagi (@_hiiroyurii) June 25, 2026
Meanwhile, several Snopes readers searched the site and emailed us to verify whether the rumor was true.
After an extensive search of the platform, Snopes found no such listings or any way to contact the alleged sellers. While there was no proof at the time of this writing that Vinted sellers were trafficking children, French authorities were investigating reports of such activity. Meanwhile, police in Frankfurt, Germany, said in an Instagram post written in German that they were investigating the claims to “rule out any danger or criminal activity,” despite “strong indications” that such posts were fake. For these reasons, we’ve left this claim unrated.
In an emailed statement to Snopes, Vinted said it took “this issue seriously” and was “reviewing each case carefully,” adding that the company encourages users to report every instance of such posts. The company also reiterated a statement it made in an Instagram story visible on June 26 that said it “found no credible cases linking [listings shared online] to child trafficking activity.”
Vinted also said it removed at least some listings that were “deliberately faked to fuel this conversation” and banned the accounts responsible in some cases. It added that the company was cooperating with relevant authorities.
(Vinted, via Instagram)
As of this writing, French authorities were investigating the reports of alleged child trafficking on the platform. High Commissioner to Childhood Sarah El Haïry said in a French-language
We have reached out to El Haïry’s office and French judicial police for comment, but did not receive responses by the time of publication.
Origin of the rumor
The rumor claiming Vinted sellers were trafficking children began circulating online in mid-June in Europe. Some users claimed to have interacted with sellers, asking what the sex of the object was and receiving a response, such as “boy” or “girl.”
One French user said he found an ad for a Harry Potter plastic figurine in which the seller said the item measured 158 centimeters and was 13 years old. The same French user said he then posted an ad offering a toy car for 30,000 euros, receiving multiple messages from other Vinted users inquiring about the toy car’s age.
As of this writing, Snopes’ searches of Vinted had not uncovered any of the listings described in the posts.
Following these reports, El Haïry said on X on June 19 that she had brough the matter to the attention of the internet crime platform and the digital media regulatory body, saying “predators are getting organized. We will tirelessly hunt them down.” On June 25, she said she had referred the matter to the prosecutor’s office. The judicial police reportedly began to investigate, according to several French news outlets.
Meanwhile, a June 25, 2026, investigative report from 20minutes, a reputable news outlet in France, said that the article’s writer, Mikaël Libert, had successfully contacted the seller behind an ad that offered a 20,000 euros air conditioner remote. Libert asked what the remote’s sex was and the seller reportedly said “girl.” However, Libaert updated the story the next day to say the “man” behind the ad was actually a 17-year-old boy on a mission to catch “pedos.”
The rumor echoed “Wayfairgate,” which Snopes debunked in 2020. The furniture store Wayfair was at the center of a conspiracy theory saying items listed at exorbitant prices disguised child trafficking.
