The Most Common Scams on Mercari for Air Jordan 1 High OG in 2026

Navigating Mercari: Avoiding Common Scams for Air Jordan 1 High OG

Mercari offers a vibrant marketplace for sneaker enthusiasts, but like any platform, it's susceptible to various scams. Understanding these fraudulent tactics is crucial for protecting your investments, especially when dealing with high-value items like the Air Jordan 1 High OG. This guide outlines common scams to watch out for in 2026 and provides strategies to ensure your transactions are secure.

Scams Targeting Buyers

• ✓ Fake Tracking 'Delivered' Bait: Scammers create listings for popular sneakers and provide a tracking number that indicates delivery to your general area, but not your specific address. Mercari's automated system may release funds to the seller after a few days, leaving you without the shoes and your money.
• ✓ Empty Box Shipping Scam: In this scam, a seller ships an empty box or a vastly different, low-value item instead of the Air Jordan 1 High OG. They rely on Mercari's automated rating system or a buyer's oversight to complete the transaction before the discrepancy is discovered.
• ✓ Stolen Stock Photo Listing: Scammers use authentic images of Air Jordan 1 High OG sneakers found online to create a listing. Once a buyer purchases the item, the scammer never ships the product, or ships a counterfeit.
• ✓ Fake Authentication Certificate: Sellers may provide a fraudulent certificate of authenticity for counterfeit Air Jordan 1 High OG sneakers. These certificates can look convincing but are designed to deceive buyers into believing the product is genuine.

Scams Targeting Sellers

• ✓ Item Swap Return Fraud: A buyer receives the authentic Air Jordan 1 High OG, then claims the item is defective or not as described to initiate a return. They then send back a counterfeit or heavily used pair, hoping Mercari will not notice the switch.
• ✓ Off-Platform Payment Inquiry: Scammers may try to lure sellers into communicating or making transactions outside of Mercari, often promising a better deal. This bypasses Mercari's protection policies, leaving sellers vulnerable to non-payment or fraudulent transactions.

General Scams Affecting Both Buyers and Sellers

• ✓ Account Takeover via Phish: Scammers send fake emails or messages impersonating Mercari, tricking users into clicking malicious links to steal login credentials and compromise accounts. This can lead to unauthorized transactions or the theft of personal information.
• ✓ The 'Invalid Shipping' Delay: A scammer might claim there's an issue with the shipping label or address and request the buyer to ship to a different address, which voids seller protection.
• ✓ Electronic Component Swap: While less common for shoes, this scam involves a buyer returning an item with crucial components (e.g., internal tags, unique identifiers) removed or replaced with fakes.

To further enhance your security, especially for high-value transactions, consider using Safe Trade Services' ID verification. For items valued above $500, our Premium Plan offers robust identity verification to add an extra layer of trust. For lower-value items, the Basic Plan provides essential verification to help mitigate risks.

Protecting Your Transactions

• ✓ Always conduct transactions within the Mercari platform.
• ✓ Carefully review seller/buyer profiles, ratings, and reviews.
• ✓ Be suspicious of any requests to communicate or pay outside of Mercari.
• ✓ Record unboxing videos for high-value items.
• ✓ Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication.
• ✓ For significant purchases, utilize Safe Trade Services for enhanced ID verification.