Inspect the item before any money changes hands

Hold the item, power it on, and check it against the listing before you hand over anything. Money last, always.

The general check

• Does it match the photos in the listing, including the wear and the marks?
• Is everything there: charger, cable, remote, key, mount, the second controller?
• Does it turn on, in front of you, from a cold start rather than already running?
• Does the serial number on the item match any serial number in the listing?
• Ask where they got it. Hesitation about a straightforward question is information.

Phones, tablets and laptops

Check the device is not locked to somebody else's account, because a locked device is worth nothing to you. On an iPhone, Find My has to be off and the device signed out of its Apple Account. On Android, the device has to be signed out of its Google account. Ask them to do it in front of you and then restart the device to confirm it comes up clean.

Check the IMEI on the device against the box and against any IMEI in the listing, and be wary if they will not show it. A phone reported lost or stolen can be barred by the carrier after you have paid.

Tools, bikes and anything with a serial

Photograph the serial number before you pay. Ask for the original receipt if there is one. On a bike, check the frame number has not been filed or painted over.

Bring what you need to check

A power bank or a plug for anything electrical, headphones for audio, a flashlight, and your phone. If the seller says there is nowhere to plug it in, meet somewhere there is.

If it does not match, the price is not the problem

A discount does not fix an item that is not what was advertised. Say it does not match the listing and leave. You have not wasted the trip: you avoided buying it.

Never pay for something you have not held

No deposits to hold an item, no partial payment before you see it, no payment on a promise to deliver later. Jinu never holds your money and cannot reverse a payment you make to another member, so there is nothing to appeal to afterwards.

Reporting and blocking

To report a listing, open it, use the more menu (the three dots), choose Report listing, and pick a reason: Spam or scam, Prohibited item, Wrong category, Already sold, or Other. A seller profile has Report seller, which offers a different set of reasons: Spam or scam, Harassment, Impersonation, Counterfeit or fake, Offensive content, or Other. A conversation has Report and Block this user, and the conversation report takes no reason at all.

Blocking is immediate and mutual: neither of you can message the other afterwards. Blocked people are listed in Settings under Blocked accounts.

For anything urgent, email safety@jinu.app. If you are in danger or a crime is in progress, call 911 first and tell Jinu afterwards.