Most people who try selling feet pics and give up did not fail because nobody wanted to buy. They gave up because the first few “buyers” took the photos and never paid. The good news is that nearly every scam in this business works the same way, which means a short list of rules stops almost all of them.
Why New Sellers Get Targeted
Scammers look for sellers who are new, keen to make a first sale and not yet sure how payment normally works. If you are selling through social media or a messaging app, there is nothing between you and the other person: no ID check, no held payment and nobody to complain to. That is the gap every scam below uses.
The Scams You Will Actually See
Scam | What it looks like | What to do |
|---|---|---|
The fake payment screenshot | The buyer sends a picture of a “completed” transfer and asks for the photos straight away. | Ignore screenshots. Only money showing in your own balance counts. |
The overpayment | They “accidentally” send too much and ask you to refund the difference. The original payment later bounces. | Never refund outside the platform. Report it. |
The chargeback | They pay, receive the photos, then tell their bank the payment was not authorised. | Sell where the platform, not you, deals with disputes. |
The verification fee | You are asked to pay a small fee, buy a gift card or “verify your account” before they can pay you. | Real buyers never need money from you. Block them. |
The move to another app | They want to continue on a different app “because it is easier”. | Stay where the payment protection is. |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Nine Rules That Keep You Safe
1. Get Paid Before You Send Anything
This is the rule that matters most. A photo that has been sent cannot be taken back, so the money has to clear first, every time, with no exceptions for “regulars”. On a marketplace built for this, such as Feetify, the order is enforced for you: the photo stays locked until the payment has gone through.
2. Keep Every Conversation on the Platform
A request to move to another app is the clearest warning sign there is. Once you leave, the held payment, the buyer checks and the support team all stay behind.
3. Never Pay a Buyer for Anything
Money moves in one direction: from the buyer to you. Fees, gift cards, “unlock codes” and refunds of overpayments are all the same trick wearing different clothes.
4. Leave the Watermark On
Previews exist to show a buyer what they are getting, not to hand it over. A blurred, watermarked preview is worth nothing to somebody who planned to take it and leave.
5. Remove Location Data From Your Photos
Phones can store where a photo was taken inside the file. Turn off location tagging in your camera settings, or sell through a site that strips that data when you upload.
6. Keep Your Identity Separate
Use a display name that is not connected to your real name or your other accounts.
Use an email address you do not use for anything else.
Keep your face, tattoos, jewellery and recognisable rooms out of frame.
7. Treat Urgency as a Red Flag
“I need it in the next five minutes” is pressure, and pressure is how people get you to skip rule one. A genuine buyer can wait for a payment to clear.
8. Do Not Give Free Samples
Your public previews are the sample. Anybody asking for one “just to check” has told you they are not planning to pay.
9. Block Early and Report
You do not owe anybody a second chance. Block the account, report it, and move on to the buyers who behave normally.
If a deal only works when you send first, pay first or leave the platform, it is not a deal.
What to Do If You Have Already Been Scammed
Stop replying, block the account and report it to the platform you were using. If you sent money, contact your bank or payment provider as soon as possible. Then change what made it possible: move your selling somewhere that holds the payment before anything is delivered.
The Simplest Fix: Sell Where Payment Comes First
You can follow every rule above by hand, or you can sell somewhere that builds them in. That means ID checked buyers, payment held before a photo opens, automatic watermarks and a support team that handles disputes. Our breakdown of how Feetify handles safety covers each of those, and the FAQ answers the questions people ask before signing up.
Set up properly once and the scams above mostly stop being your problem. Open your free storefront and make your first sale the safe way.