French police have opened a preliminary investigation into allegations that children were being sold on the secondhand fashion platform Vinted after bizarre listings with descriptions referencing age, height, and weight went viral. The listings, which featured toys priced at up to €30,000 (£25,900), included language that social media users suspected was coded for child trafficking.
Disturbing Descriptions and Inflated Prices
Screenshots shared widely on TikTok, X, and Facebook showed a teddy bear listed for €30,000 with a description referring to a "nine-year-old girl." Another listing for a stuffed rabbit priced at over €1,000 (£861) reportedly read: "Female, three years old, 91cm, 13kg," adding the words "obedient girl." A PlayStation console and controller were advertised for €30,000, with the description allegedly stating the item was "10 years old," "healthy," and "blonde."
Other alleged listings included a grey teddy for £18,500 described as "3 years, 98-103cm," and a Jellycat bunny normally retailing for £25 listed on Vinted UK for £10,350 with the description "2 years, 86cm, tight unused."
Official Response and Investigation
French police confirmed to the Mirror that a preliminary investigation has been launched to determine whether the listings represent an attempt to misuse the platform, an organised hoax, or something more sinister. So far, authorities have not confirmed any wrongdoing, and launching an investigation does not imply guilt.
France's High Commissioner for Childhood, Sarah El Hairy, reported the posts and accounts to officials. Writing on X on June 23, she said: "An investigation has been opened following the complaint I filed with the courts regarding suspicions of child trafficking on Vinted. The truth must be established without taboo. Platforms have a responsibility: no space can be a hunting ground for predators." She added: "Behind a platform of everyday life, a suspicion of a paedophile criminal network. Reminder that the threats against children are evolving, but the demand for protection remains the same."
The posts have also been referred to PHAROS, the French government's online platform for reporting illegal internet content.
Police and Platform Statements
Frankfurt Police, in a statement posted to Instagram, said they were receiving an increasing number of reports but noted "strong indications that these are fake listings." They added: "We take these hints very seriously. We are also aware of the emotional reactions and fears that trigger such descriptions. According to recent findings, there are currently many indications that these are fake ads. Still true: We leave no room for speculation in such sensitive areas. We check the clues to rule out any danger or crime."
The National Police Chiefs' Council and National Crime Agency told the Mirror they were not aware of the listings in the UK.
Vinted strongly denied the listings were advertising children and said it had found no evidence of child trafficking on its platform. In a statement, the company said it had "thoroughly investigated the listings being shared online and found no credible cases linking them to child trafficking activity." It added: "Where these listings are deliberately faked to fuel this conversation, we are swiftly removing them and taking action on accounts, including bans."
Vinted also warned that some screenshots may have been created to spread panic, and that users might be posting fake listings in an attempt to expose suspected offenders. The company said it had seen an increase in abusive language directed at sellers of higher-priced items, and that such behaviour "amounts to harassment, makes it harder for us to moderate the platform effectively, and can interfere with genuine investigations."
Comparisons to Previous Conspiracies
The allegations have drawn comparisons to the so-called "Wayfair conspiracy" of 2020, when users claimed the US furniture retailer was secretly selling trafficked children because expensive storage cabinets shared first names with missing girls and carried unusually high prices. Wayfair denied the unfounded allegations, explaining that product names were generated automatically and that the expensive cabinets were commercial-grade furniture, with some pricing errors causing high prices on personalised products.
