Man lost nearly 2,000 PLN after online guitar sale scam

24 May 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

A seller fell for a sold a guitar online scam and lost nearly 2,000 PLN. Read why this matters for expats and how to avoid BLIK fraud.

A 28-year-old man from Biłgoraj County listed a guitar for sale online and fell victim to a sold a guitar online scam. Consequently, he lost almost 2,000 PLN after following a fake transaction link and sharing a BLIK code. Moreover, the incident illustrates common fraud patterns that foreigners should learn to spot.

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How the scam unfolded

The seller posted the instrument on a popular classifieds site. Almost immediately, a buyer contacted him and asked for an email address. Then the buyer sent a message with a link. The seller clicked it and landed on a page that looked like his bank’s login. He entered credentials. However, a prompt then asked him to type the exact account balance. That raised doubts. Therefore he stopped the process.

Shortly after, he received a phone call. A man told him someone had compromised his account. In addition, a woman guided him through generating a BLIK code. The seller followed the instructions and gave the code to the caller. Consequently, the fraudsters used the code to withdraw money instantly. The victim lost nearly 2,000 PLN within minutes.

Why this matters for buyers and sellers

Scammers target both buyers and sellers on classifieds sites. In other words, anyone can get a message that seems trustworthy. Moreover, fraudsters clone bank pages and even courier sites. The differences can be tiny. For example, a single letter in a web address can hide criminal intent.

Moreover, the rise of mobile authorisation tools like BLIK increases risk. BLIK works like cash. If you share a code, thieves can withdraw money fast. Therefore you should never give BLIK codes to strangers. Also, do not log in to banking sites from links sent by unknown people.

Local context and practical tips

Poland relies heavily on mobile banking and instant payments. Consequently, scammers exploit this habit. In addition, many expats deal with Polish institutions like ZUS (social security) and NFZ (public health insurance). Thus you may already trust official emails and portals. However, criminals mimic official services too. Therefore always check sender addresses and official domains.

When you transact online, prefer platform messaging. Moreover, use escrow or meet in person in a public place. If a buyer asks to move the conversation off the portal, treat that as a red flag. Also, if anyone asks for banking credentials or codes, refuse immediately and call your bank.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: In Poland, BLIK codes act like cash and expire quickly. If someone asks for a BLIK code, do not share it. If you suspect fraud, call your bank and report the problem to the police. Keep documents like PESEL (national ID number) and bank details safe, and never type those on sites reached from suspicious links.

Police advise vigilance during online trades and warn against opening links from strangers. In addition, they recommend blocking access to online banking and reporting crimes fast. Therefore act quickly to increase chances of recovery.

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