Marketplace seller onboarding fee
A caller offers to register your business as a seller on a large marketplace for a fee the marketplace never charges.
Community reports: 0
How it works
- A caller or website offers to register your business as a seller on a big online marketplace, promising quick approval and guaranteed orders.
- They ask for an "onboarding", "activation" or "brand registry" fee, sometimes with a fake agreement or certificate.
- After payment the seller account never appears or turns out to be fake, and the caller stops answering.
What it looks like
Example messages. Numbers and links are masked.
Namaste sir, we are an onboarding partner. We can make you a seller in 24 hours with a verified badge and 100 orders guaranteed. One-time activation fee Rs 9,999.
Your seller account is approved. Pay Rs 4,500 for brand registry and GST linking to go live: seller-activation-centre[.]in
Red flags
- Guaranteed orders or sales
- Activation fee to a personal account
- A website copying the marketplace's look
- Pressure to pay today for a "slot"
The one question to ask
Does the marketplace's own seller website, typed in by you, mention any such fee?
Already paid or shared details?
Call 1930 at once: in the first hour the money can often still be frozen before it moves on. Then call your bank on the number printed on your card, and file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in with screenshots of every message and payment.
1930 · cybercrime.gov.in
Also seen as
- Fake franchise or dealership offer from a known brand
- Fake restaurant listing fee for a food delivery app
- Paid "account manager" for your seller account