How to buy and sell safely: handover and payment

The safest way to buy and sell through classified ads is to hand the item over in person, in a busy place and in daylight, to check it before paying, and to pay only once it is in your hands. Cash or TWINT at the handover are the simplest options; paying a stranger in advance is the biggest risk. A short receipt stating the price, date and serial number protects both sides.

Key points

• Meeting place: public, busy, in daylight and, if possible, with someone you know.
• Check first, pay second: switch it on, test it, compare the serial number.
• Cash or TWINT at the handover are easiest. Check the payment in your own app, never on a screenshot.
• With TWINT you never confirm an incoming payment. A link or QR code to "receive the money" means a scam.
• Shipping: send only once the money is in your account, with a tracking number.
• Issue a receipt: under Art. 88 of the Swiss Code of Obligations (CO), the person paying is entitled to one.

Before you meet: check the ad and the other person

• Do the title, description, photos and location match? For valuable items, ask for an extra photo with a note showing your name and today's date.
• An offer far below the usual price is a warning sign. See our guide to pricing second-hand items.
• Stay in the swissmax chat. Someone who wants to move straight to WhatsApp, Telegram or email is avoiding any record of the conversation.
• Don't let anyone rush you: "three other people are interested" is a classic pressure tactic. See also spotting classified-ad fraud.

The handover: meeting safely

1. Public place, daytime: a station concourse, shopping centre, busy café or a supermarket car park. For larger sums, meet near a bank or post office.
2. Bring someone along and tell someone else where you are going, whom you are meeting and when.
3. Collection from home (furniture, a washing machine): don't be alone, and put the item in the entrance or garage if you can.
4. Put the arrangements in the chat: price, accessories, place and time.
5. Trust your instincts: if the situation feels wrong, walk away. No purchase is worth your safety.

Check the item before any money changes hands

In private sales the seller's warranty is often excluded ("sold as seen"). That is permitted, except for defects the seller fraudulently concealed (Art. 199 CO). The buyer must also inspect the goods and report defects promptly (Art. 201 CO). On the spot, check:

• Electronics: test every function, the battery, screen and ports; a phone must be removed from the seller's account. See our guide to buying and checking a used phone.
• Bikes and e-bikes: brakes, gears, frame (cracks) and battery; compare the frame number with the purchase receipt.
• Furniture: dimensions, stability, smells and damage; agree who dismantles and transports it.

For valuable items, ask for the original invoice. Under Art. 934 of the Swiss Civil Code, the owner of a stolen item can reclaim it for five years, even from a good-faith buyer, and after a private sale generally without refunding you.

Paying: the options and their risks

Cash

Simple and final straight away. Count the money in front of the other person and check the security features of larger notes (feel, tilt, hold up to the light).

TWINT

Person-to-person payments arrive within seconds. Bear in mind:

• Check the payment in your own TWINT app, not on the buyer's phone and not from a text message.
• According to the Federal Office for Cyber Security (FOCS), incoming TWINT payments arrive automatically; you never need to confirm anything.
• Never scan a QR code from the other person to "receive money": scanning it means you pay. Confirming a money request also sends money.
• Never share your TWINT PIN, SMS codes or card details.

Bank transfer

Useful for larger amounts, provided the seller sees the money in their own online banking before the handover. A screenshot or PDF proves nothing. Beware of "overpayments": someone who sends too much and asks for the difference back is almost always a fraudster.

Paying in advance for a shipped item

For buyers, this is the biggest risk: money paid for a parcel that never arrives is rarely recovered. Swiss police crime-prevention advice (SKPPSC, in German) is therefore to collect the item in person, check it on the spot and not be talked into paying in advance. If you do pay in advance, only pay a verified seller with a credible profile, never by gift card, Western Union or cryptocurrency, and ask for the tracking number.

Shipping: how to do it with Swiss Post

As a seller, only send the item once the amount has been credited to your account.

1. Pack the item well and photograph the contents and their condition before sealing the parcel.
2. Send it with a tracking number and share it in the chat. Tracking is included with PostPac Economy and Priority. According to Swiss Post, a parcel up to 2 kg costs CHF 9 by Economy and CHF 10.50 by Priority in 2026, with a CHF 1.50 discount per parcel for postage bought online.
3. For valuable contents, add the "Signature" option (CHF 1.50): delivery against signature, with Swiss Post liable up to CHF 1500 instead of the standard CHF 500.

Watch out for phishing: a supposed buyer wants to pay "via Swiss Post" and sends a link or QR code to a fake Swiss Post site asking for your card details and an SMS code. The FOCS explains how it works: classified ad fraud and how to avoid the phishing trap. You never need to enter card details to receive money.

The receipt: short but complete

Under Art. 88 CO, the person paying can ask for a receipt. A simple sheet in two copies, signed by both, is enough:

• names and addresses of buyer and seller
• the item, with make, model and serial or frame number
• price, payment method, date and place
• known defects and whether the warranty is excluded
• confirmation that the item belongs to the seller

Cars involve extra steps: see our guide to buying a used car privately.

How swissmax helps

• Verified accounts: to post an ad you need a confirmed email address and mobile number and, as a rule, an identity check (KYC) with an official ID and a short selfie video. Verified sellers are marked "Identity verified" on their ads and profile.
• Verified-only contact: sellers can choose to be contacted only by people with a verified identity, or only by those with Swiss citizenship or a Swiss residence permit.
• Chat warnings: when a phone number, email address, external link, IBAN or a typical scam keyword such as Western Union or Bitcoin appears in the chat, both sides see a warning.
• Deals: where available for an ad, you fix price, meeting point and time, swissmax suggests safe public meeting spots, and both sides confirm completion. For a no-show, an item not as described or a suspected scam, you can open a dispute for our team to review.
• Reviews: 1 to 5 stars, only from completed deals, hidden for up to 7 days to prevent retaliation.
• Report and block: every ad and every profile has a "Report" button, and you can block unwanted contacts.

You pay each other directly: swissmax offers no escrow service and never asks for card, banking or TWINT details. More in the safety centre and the FAQ.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to give a warranty as a private seller?

In principle, the warranty rules of the Code of Obligations also apply between private individuals, but you can exclude them, for example with "sold as seen" on the receipt, unless you conceal a known defect. There is no statutory right to return goods in Switzerland, as ch.ch explains.

A buyer wants to pay by courier or "via Swiss Post". What should I do?

End the conversation: this is a known phishing scam. You never receive money by entering card details or an SMS code on a linked website. Report the profile on swissmax.

Is a screenshot enough as proof of payment?

No, screenshots and PDFs are easy to fake. Hand over the item only once the amount shows in your own TWINT app or online banking.

What should I do if I have been scammed?

Keep all messages, receipts and screenshots. Contact your bank at once and block your card if you entered any details. Report the matter to the cantonal police, report the ad or profile on swissmax and get in touch via the contact form.

Last updated: November 2026. Prices and legal information without guarantee.