Navigating Mercari: A Brand Protection Guide to Spotting and Removing Fakes

Mercari has become a fixture in the U.S. resale economy, known for its mobile-first design, ease of listings, and fast delivery partnerships with Uber, FedEx, and DoorDash. Launched in Japan in 2013 and brought to the U.S. just a year later, Mercari now sees more than 23 million monthly active users. 

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So, is Mercari legit? Yes. But like any third-party platform, low barriers to entry make it an easy target for counterfeiters. From fake sneakers and designer bags to electronics and skincare, infringers are increasingly using Mercari to pass off unauthorized goods as the real thing. 

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Wondering how to report someone on Mercari for selling fakes? This guide explains the risks of resale market counterfeit activity and how to take action against it quickly and effectively.

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What Is Mercari, and Why Has It Become a Counterfeit Hotspot?

Mercari is a peer-to-peer marketplace where users buy and sell everything from vintage apparel to home appliances. Unlike marketplaces with stricter onboarding or product review processes, Mercari enables nearly anyone to list and ship items in minutes. 

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While Mercari’s convenience has helped it grow rapidly, that same convenience creates brand vulnerabilities. Sellers can upload misleading photos, list fake products, or send used, damaged, or completely different items than what was initially advertised. In some cases, bad actors even mimic Mercari’s interface to conduct phishing scams, sending fake “verification” links that lead to fraudulent pages requesting login credentials or sensitive information.

Is Mercari Safe for Buyers?

Mercari offers buyer protection, but it hinges on strict platform rules: if users miss key steps, they may forfeit their right to a refund.

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• No refunds after feedback is submitted: Once a buyer rates the seller, the transaction is considered closed, even if the item turns out to be fake or damaged.

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• Buyers must report issues within 3 days of delivery: After that, Mercari typically won’t approve refund requests.

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• Only Mercari payments are protected: If a seller asks for payment through another app (e.g., Venmo, Zelle), it’s not covered by buyer protection (and is likely a scam).
  
  

Mercari is a safe site, but to benefit from its refund protections, buyers must act quickly and stay alert.

How to Identify a Suspicious Seller

Not every suspicious listing is obviously fraudulent, but there are common red flags. Encourage your brand teams, partners, or customers to watch for:

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• Incomplete or brand-new seller profiles
• Listings that use blurry or generic catalog images
• Vague or overly broad product descriptions (“black handbag” instead of Chanel)
• Dramatically low prices for high-value items
• A lack of seller response in the comment section
• Verified buyer comments flagged as “under review” or deleted
  
  

Mercari also assigns performance-based badges to help buyers identify trustworthy sellers. A verified profile, gained by confirming email, SMS, and government-issued ID, signals a baseline level of legitimacy. 

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Additional badges like “Fast Responder”, which indicates replies within 12 hours, and “Quick Shipper”, awarded to those who ship orders within 24 hours, further reflect seller trustworthiness. The “Reliable Seller” badge, given to users who rarely cancel transactions or receive complaints, is another positive sign. If a seller lacks these indicators, it’s worth approaching their listings with added caution, as bad actors tend to avoid verification processes and create new profiles frequently to evade detection.

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How to Report a Seller on Mercari

If your brand identifies a counterfeit listing, Mercari provides a simple way to report it:

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1. Tap the listing thumbnail to open the product page.
2. Tap the flag icon in the top right corner.
3. Choose the report reason related to counterfeiting or intellectual property violations.

4. Use the description field to provide detailed information, such as:
   
   • Product comparison to an authentic item
   • Links to your trademark or product catalog
   • Screenshots of the seller’s profile or suspicious messaging
   • The more detailed, the better.
5. Submit and confirm.

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Mercari only allows users to report individual listings, not full seller profiles – an important limitation for brands tracking repeat offenders. 

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When Reporting Alone Isn’t Enough

Mercari does take action on intellectual property reports, but for brands facing high volumes of infringement, the platform’s case-by-case process can quickly become a bottleneck. Response times vary significantly – some listings are removed within days, while others may take weeks depending on complexity and report volume.

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What’s more, the reporting process requires brands to gather evidence, draft detailed descriptions, and follow up on each individual listing. For teams monitoring dozens or even hundreds of infringing posts, this approach is time-consuming and difficult to sustain. And as counterfeiters become more sophisticated – switching accounts, using deceptive product names, and subtly altering images – reactive enforcement simply can’t keep pace.

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That’s where MarqVision comes in.

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Our AI-powered platform automates the detection and takedown of counterfeit listings across Mercari and more than 1,600 global marketplaces. We flag violations ranging from trademark misuse to design infringement and enable brands to take bulk action with just a few clicks.

Rather than spending hours chasing down individual violations, MarqVision empowers brand teams to scale their enforcement, protect IP more efficiently, and stay ahead of evolving counterfeit threats, without compromising on speed or accuracy.

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Final Takeaway: Is Mercari a Legitimate Platform?

Yes: Mercari is a legitimate and popular resale marketplace, used by millions across the U.S. For IP holders, though, legitimacy alone doesn’t equal safety. As counterfeiters grow more creative and platforms expand, brand protection must evolve with them.

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Whether you're responding to consumer complaints, planning out an enforcement strategy, or wondering how to report a repeat counterfeiter on Mercari, the bottom line is clear: protecting your brand on resale platforms now requires more than manual intervention. It demands automation, speed, and scale.

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Ready to outpace counterfeiters? Book your MarqVision demo now.