France on high alert over possible child trafficking via Vinted

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A preliminary investigation has been launched in France into reports of possible child trafficking via the secondhand platform Vinted. The investigation has been entrusted to the Office for Minors (Ofmin), the Nanterre public prosecutor’s office told AFP on Friday evening.

The suspicions arose after internet users reported suspicious ads on the platform. These were listings for toys or seemingly worthless items at extremely high prices, often specifying ages and sizes. According to alert users of the platform, this could indicate that young children were involved.

Code language for child trafficking

The case subsequently gained significant traction on social media, particularly on TikTok. A video by a content creator showing a Harry Potter figurine priced at 30,000 euros was liked and shared thousands of times as evidence of the possible use of code language in the ads.

Sarah El Haïry, the French High Commissioner for Children, reported earlier this week that she had identified accounts suspected of involvement in child trafficking on Vinted. She called a report on the news site 20minutes “chilling” if the facts were accurate.

Vinted itself is denying the allegations for now. The company says it has found no evidence that the ads in question are linked to child trafficking and asserts that the ages mentioned refer to the recommended age for the toys, while the high prices may indicate collectible value, provocation, or errors in posting the ads.

The French judicial authorities also emphasize that the preliminary investigation must determine whether this involves organized crime or isolated, misleading advertisements.

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