OfferUp

Is OfferUp safe?

Safer than an anonymous classifieds board, less safe than a marketplace that holds your money. OfferUp has real checks on people: every account has two-factorTwo-factor authenticationSigning in with a second proof of identity on top of your password, such as a code from an app, a security key or a passkey.More in the glossary login by default, and users can earn a TruYou badge by matching a government ID to a selfie. But since it dropped shipping in 2025, every sale is a local meetup where money changes hands in person, and OfferUp's own help centre says all sales are final. Add an app that tracks five kinds of data and a privacy policy that mentions data brokers, and we score it 48/100.

No shipping, no refunds

OfferUp used to compete with eBay and Mercari on shipped items. That has ended. In an October 2025 memo published by GeekWire, chief executive Todd Dunlap told staff the company was "deprecating our shipping offering in order to provide a more focused and specific local experience", alongside a round of layoffs. OfferUp says it handles about 30 million transactions a year.

The help centre is now blunt about what that means. "Because OfferUp only supports local, in-person transactions, all sales are final once payment is made." Sellers are not obliged to refund or exchange anything. The payment advice is to bring cash, "the safest payment option", and the terms say OfferUp "is not a party to such transactions in any way". If a phone turns out to be locked or a bike stolen, OfferUp has no money to give back.

The scams OfferUp warns about

OfferUp's scam guide reads like a list of ways to get the money or the account before the meetup:

• Links off the platform. A buyer or seller sends a link "to get paid" or "to verify your info" that leads to a fake login or payment page.
• Code requests. A buyer asks for a verification code "to verify your listing". OfferUp says it never does this; the code is what the scammer needs to get past two-factorTwo-factor authenticationSigning in with a second proof of identity on top of your password, such as a code from an app, a security key or a passkey.More in the glossary login on your account.
• Deposits. A seller of a sofa or other large item offers to deliver it but wants a small deposit first, and never shows up.
• Fake payment messages and people pretending to be OfferUp. OfferUp says it never sends payment instructions through chat.
• Prices that are too low, such as a new iPhone for $50 with stock photos.

For the meetup itself, OfferUp works with police stations and local businesses on Community MeetUp Spots: places with 24-hour lighting and video surveillance, which the app suggests in chat.

ID checks and two-factor login

These are OfferUp's real strengths. Every account is enrolled in two-factor authenticationTwo-factor authenticationSigning in with a second proof of identity on top of your password, such as a code from an app, a security key or a passkey.More in the glossary when it is created, and users cannot switch it off. OfferUp asks for a code by text or email when a login comes from an unknown device or looks risky. That is more than Craigslist, which has no two-factor login, or Gumtree.

TruYou is free and usually optional. You give a phone number, two photos of a US driver's licence, state ID or passport, and a selfie. Onfido, a third-party identity service, checks the documents and matches the face. OfferUp can also lock an account until its owner joins TruYou if it sees signs of takeover or fraud. OfferUp says plainly that the badge "doesn't guarantee the user is who they say they are, or that they're trustworthy".

What the app collects

Apple's label for OfferUp lists location, contact info, search history, identifiers and usage data as "used to track you" across other companies' apps and websites, and links the same data to you for third-party advertising. Google Play adds that the app shares your list of installed apps for advertising and analytics.

The privacy policy, updated on 26 April 2026, goes further. It says sharing with "data marketplaces, data brokers, and advertising companies" may count as a "sale" under US state laws, and that a hashed version of your email may go to some ad partners. It also covers the government ID you send for TruYou.

Your options depend on where you live. Residents of states with privacy laws get a Do Not Sell switch. Everyone can stop OfferUp sharing an anonymous ad ID with Google, but that switch is off until you turn it on. Deleting an account is easy and works on the website even if you cannot log in.

How to buy and sell safely on OfferUp

1. Meet at a Community MeetUp Spot or a police station's exchange zone, in daylight.
2. Inspect and test the item before you pay. There is no refund afterwards.
3. Never send a deposit, and never pay a seller who will not let you see the item first.
4. Never share a code sent to your phone or email, and ignore links that leave offerup.com.
5. Prefer sellers with a TruYou badge and a history of ratings, but do not rely on the badge alone.
6. In the app's privacy settings, turn on the Google personalised ads opt-out, and Do Not Sell if your state offers it.

How we scored it

Privacy (30) is OfferUp's weakest factor, because it tracks five kinds of data and says it may share data with data brokers. Scams and harmful content (35) is low because every deal is in person with no buyer protection, and the 4+ age rating sits below the terms' minimum age of 16. Security (58) is its strongest factor after the regulatory record (87), thanks to compulsory two-factorTwo-factor authenticationSigning in with a second proof of identity on top of your password, such as a code from an app, a security key or a passkey.More in the glossary login and TruYou.