These fraudulent sellers publish photos that have clean and recognizable codes. For example, on the same profile, the model seems different, with a hidden, even blurred face. The decor, meanwhile, also changes, with furniture that is not in the same place or a pile of clothes that is found on the ground, on each photo. The use of AI allows people behind this process to give buyers an illusion of reality. But behind this emergence of AI, hides dropshipping.
Dropshipping in Belgium
Dropshipping is a legal business model, which practices low-cost import-export, but any seller must respect consumer rights, either register as an enterprise to the ECB or declare themselves as a professional on platforms, for example “vintéd pro” and provide all legal information such as the origin, the nature of the products or the guarantees, explains the SPF Economy. By practicing dropshipping, the seller does not store the products he offers, but has them shipped directly by a supplier as soon as a customer plays. “People using dropshipping cannot deceive buyers by claiming to sell the occasion or by hiding the foreign origin of the products. These misleading practices are illegal and liable to fines of up to 80,000 euros,” recalls the federal public service.
Bad for the environment, accused of exploitation: here are the marks to banish from his wardrobe
Contacted by the DH, Vinted recalls that its members are encouraged to download visuals that faithfully represent the articles they sell. Edit photos via artificial intelligence is in itself authorized, as long as it does not make a mistake or does not deceive the appearance of an article.
“On the other hand, fraudulent practices, including misleading ads or advertisements for nonexistent articles, are strictly prohibited and are subject to concrete measures, which may include the deletion of announcements or blocking of accounts. In accordance with the rules of the Vinted catalog (which are part of our restrictive general conditions), members are not allowed to propose articles sold in dropshipping”, explains of the application.
In the event of a purchase of a different item presented in the ad, buyers are entitled to protection which can allow a refund. The spokesperson of Vinted assures that the brand closely follows developments related to the use of artificial intelligence “to ensure that these practices remain in accordance with the directives of the platform”.
How not to be fooled?
In order to avoid disillusionment when the VINTED purchase does not correspond to the ad, several tips exist to identify false announcements using artificial intelligence. According to Test-Achats, the images generated by AI contain faults. “For example, details like the hands and fingers are generally poorly positioned. In the case of Vinted, you have to pay attention to the pimples, the zippers and the seams,” said Vicky Maelstaf, spokesperson.
These elements can be badly reproduced. The organization also stresses that AI would still have difficulty representing textures or backgrounds. “Watch out for too smooth or too regular surfaces, as well as artificial transitions in the texture and distribution of light,” she warns. If a photo is too perfect, it should awaken suspicion, she concludes.
How to avoid scams online? Here are the advice of the SPF Economy
The SPF Economy insists on the identification of the seller. “An absent, inconsistent profile photo, or the impossibility of contacting the seller must alert,” explains the service.
The SPF also invites you to read the opinions left by other users, but with caution. Indeed, some false sellers publish too enthusiastic false opinions, often recognizable by very different writing styles. To check the authenticity of a garment, the SPF recommends using the reverse image search, like Google Lens.
“By looking for the probably manipulated photo of a” used “garment, you may find the same garment on a Chinese sales platform (at a significantly lower price)”, he alerts.
If you have been fooled, “consumers can report fraud via the ConsumerConnect platform and sales sites,” said the SPF Economy. A future European AI (AI Act) law intends to impose transparency on the content generated or modified by artificial intelligence, but these obligations are not yet in force.
