French authorities have opened an investigation into allegations that the popular second-hand marketplace Vinted was used to facilitate child trafficking. The probe follows reports from users who flagged highly unusual listings for children’s toys—priced at extraordinary amounts and described using language they claimed contained coded sexual references.
Videos created by social media content creators, featuring screenshots of these suspicious listings, quickly went viral online. In response, Sarah El Haïry, France’s High Commissioner for Children, formally alerted relevant law enforcement agencies and called for a full investigation.
Suspicious Listings Raise Red Flags
One listing described a ‘bath-time bunny’ priced at €1,000. Its description referred to the item as ‘female, three years old’, weighing approximately 13 kg and standing 91 cm tall. It was further characterized as ‘small-framed, blonde, blue-eyed, and obedient’—traits more commonly associated with a child than a plush toy.
In another case, an item was listed for €6,000 and described as ‘13 years old’, ‘shy’, ‘anxious’, and ‘noisy’. A third listing—titled ‘Figurine’ or ‘Rescued Venezuelan plushie from the earthquake’—described the object as ‘6 years old / 116 cm · Very good condition’, with color listed as ‘white’ and brand as ‘Littlest Pet Shop’.
Specialized Unit Takes Charge
The investigation is being handled by a specialized French police unit focused on crimes against minors. Meanwhile, Vinted—the Lithuania-based platform—has stated that its internal review found no credible evidence linking the flagged listings to child trafficking networks.
The company added that it is removing fraudulent listings deliberately created to fuel online speculation. In a statement to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Vinted clarified that age references in listings refer to the intended age group for the toy—not actual people—and that inflated prices reflect either collectible value, user provocation, or negotiation tactics.
Not the First Time
This is not the first time Vinted has faced such allegations. In 2023, similar rumors spread online, with users claiming that overpriced listings for second-hand children’s clothing masked networks involved in the sexual exploitation of minors. Last year, French authorities launched another investigation after reports emerged that some sellers were using Vinted to promote OnlyFans accounts or distribute sexually explicit content via listings for swimwear and underwear.
Because Vinted does not require age verification for platform access, potentially harmful content may be widely visible—even to minors.