France opens probe into suspected child trafficking on resale app Vinted

NANTERRE, France - France has launched a probe after social media users raised the alarm over bizarre listings on secondhand resale app Vinted they suspect is linked to child trafficking.

The public prosecutor’s office in Nanterre, west of Paris, confirmed to AFP late on June 26 that a preliminary investigation had been launched.

Internet users flagged listings on the platform they considered suspicious because they offered toys or seemingly low-value items for astronomical prices, and included ages and sizes that could correspond to those of young children.

Many of the ads had four-figure price tags paired with descriptions referencing children’s ages, heights or clothing sizes.

The issue gained traction on social media, particularly on TikTok.

“Look at this, supposedly a Harry Potter figure priced at €30,000 (S$44,000),” said a content creator in a video that has garnered more than 112,000 likes since mid-June.

For him, “the price raises a lot of questions,” as do “the details... a height of 1.58m, 13 years old,” which, in his view, point to “a coding system for child trafficking activity”.

France’s High Commissioner for Childhood, Sarah El Hairy, on June 23 said she had reported “the existence of accounts suspected of being involved in child trafficking on Vinted”.

The prosecutor’s office has not specified whether any of these reports have turned out to be correct.

When contacted, several sellers flagged by social media users told AFP they were genuinely selling toys.

Asked for comment by AFP, Vinted said it had “taken note of the listings currently circulating online and, based on our investigation, we have found no evidence allowing us to link them to child trafficking activities”.

The company said “the age indicated in these listings refers to the age range for which the toy is intended.”

The high prices could reflect “either genuine collector’s value, or provocation or negotiation tactics,” it added.

Vinted said it does not tolerate “any inappropriate content” and intervenes when a suspicious listing is identified, cooperating with police if necessary. AFP