Vinted says my item is fake. How do I prove it's genuine?

The step-by-step

1. Act within 48 hours of the flag. From 8 October 2026 the response window is 48 hours (up from 24). Set a timer the moment you receive the notification. If you miss the window, the flag typically becomes final and the 6-week clock to destruction starts.
2. Gather the strongest evidence first. Original retailer receipt or order confirmation email with the retailer's logo and item name. Photos of the item with any original tags attached. Close-up photos of serial numbers, hologram marks or authentication QR codes. Authentication certificate if the item was authenticated at point of sale.
3. Add provenance and chain of custody. If the item was gifted, inherited, bought from a reseller with their own paperwork, or purchased in a specific store, state this and attach what you have. A short written statement signed with your name and the date carries weight.
4. Upload to the dispute, not the chat. Everything must be uploaded as evidence in the formal dispute flow, not sent as a message. Vinted's moderators review the evidence attached to the dispute, not the chat messages.
5. Keep the item at your end. Do not send the item to Vinted or anywhere else while the challenge is live. The item is your evidence. If Vinted asks you to post it, decline politely and request they confirm in writing why physical possession is required.
6. Escalate if Vinted still refuses. If the flag is upheld despite valid evidence, send a Subject Access Request (template at /take-action#sar). Ask for the full automated-moderation record. If "detected automatically" appears, demand Article 22(3) human review. In parallel, raise Section 75 or chargeback on any Vinted fees paid.

What counts as strong evidence

Vinted's moderators (and any subsequent regulator or court) weigh the following in rough order of strength:

1. Original dated retailer receipt or order confirmation email with your name on it
2. Authentication certificate from a recognised authenticator (Entrupy, Real Authentication, Luxury Garage Sale, etc.)
3. Hologram, serial number or QR code photos matching the brand's authentication system
4. Original packaging, dust bag, authenticity card photographed with the item
5. Chain-of-custody paperwork (gift receipt, previous owner's provenance, reseller receipt)
6. Written provenance statement signed and dated

If the item was destroyed

Under the 8 October 2026 Terms, Vinted can destroy an item after 6 weeks. If this happens to a genuine item:

• Section 75 or chargeback on all Vinted fees paid for the listing or shipping
• Money Claim Online at gov.uk/make-money-claim for the item's value (up to £10,000). You'll need your evidence of authenticity AND evidence of destruction, so keep every email from Vinted about the item
• Trading Standards via Citizens Advice (0808 223 1133) — destruction of genuine goods is exactly the pattern Trading Standards collects
• Subject Access Request for the full automated-moderation record. If "detected automatically" appears, Article 22(3) UK GDPR applies

Fraud Act 2006 — the overlooked lever

If a buyer knowingly filed a false counterfeit report (for example, to trigger a refund or get your account banned), that is Section 2 Fraud Act 2006 (fraud by false representation) against the buyer. Report the buyer to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, get a crime reference number, and cite it in your Vinted appeal, your Subject Access Request, and any Letter Before Claim. Fraud Act is criminal law; it doesn't automatically restore your account, but it changes the tone of every subsequent communication.

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