Child trafficking on Vinted? French regulators launch investigation

Vinted and French authorities are investigating suspicious ads on the platform. Screenshots of ads allegedly linked to child trafficking have been circulating on social media in recent days. But is it true, or is it fake news?

Vinted finds no evidence

Screenshots of dozens of ads—mostly for toys—have been popping up on TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and X. The descriptions include notable details such as age, height, gender, or race. The prices—for example, a plush teddy bear for 31,000 euros—and terms like “healthy” or “obedient” are also raising eyebrows. According to social media posts, these are coded messages from pedophile child traffickers.

The uproar has since prompted action in France. The authorities reported the ads to Pharos, the national hotline for illegal online content, and opened a preliminary investigation. Vinted also launched an investigation into the ads in question. “After a thorough investigation, we found no evidence linking the ads to criminal activities. The rumors are based on a misunderstanding of how our platform works,” the platform concluded.

“The age listed in these ads refers to the age group for which the toys are intended—similar to the age label on toy packaging—and not to a specific child. If you see an ad that genuinely concerns you, please report it so our safety team can review it,” Vinted says in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.

Deliberate controversy?

This isn’t the first time an online marketplace has faced these kinds of allegations. In 2020, a similar controversy arose around Wayfair when users on social media linked expensive furniture ads with women’s names to alleged criminal activities. After an investigation, those claims proved to be unfounded. Vinted itself was also the subject of similar accusations back in 2023, which at the time came primarily from far-right conspiracy theorists.

Meanwhile, Vinted has noticed that “ads are being deliberately falsified to fuel the debate” and that sellers of higher-priced items are being accused and insulted. Other members, in turn, are hunting down alleged perpetrators using bait ads or threats. Vinted states: “While we understand the concerns behind this, this type of behavior amounts to intimidation, makes it harder for us to effectively moderate the platform, and can disrupt genuine investigations, putting members at risk.”

The allegations come at a time when Vinted is in the midst of rapid expansion. The company recently raised 880 million euros through a secondary share offering, bringing its valuation to 8 billion euros. In addition, Vinted is expanding its operations into new markets, including Australia.