How to buy and sell safely.
SUOOG connects buyers and sellers directly. These six practices, together with SUOOG’s own protections, reduce the risk of a transaction.
Six safety practices
Meet in public places
Choose a busy, well-lit place, such as a shopping centre or a coffee shop. Many Canadian police stations offer designated Safe Exchange Zones with cameras.
Inspect before paying
Switch on electronics, check serial numbers and test every function. A legitimate seller does not rush an inspection.
Use cash or Interac e-Transfer
Pay in person, after the inspection. Avoid wire transfers, gift cards and cryptocurrency.
Protect your account
SUOOG staff will never ask for your password or a verification code. Do not follow a link in an email or text message that asks you to "log in to receive a payment".
Trust your instincts
If a transaction does not seem right, or you are pressured to decide, end it. Fraud relies on urgency.
Bring a friend for high-value items
For electronics, jewellery or any other expensive item, do not meet alone.
How SUOOG protects you
The blue verified checkmark
Sellers may verify their identity for a one-time fee through Stripe Identity, which matches a government ID with a selfie. A verified seller has a blue checkmark on every listing. The checkmark confirms the seller’s identity at the time of the check; it does not guarantee the item or the transaction. SUOOG may remove it after a credible report of misuse.
Phone numbers and email addresses are not public
A seller’s phone number stays hidden until a logged-in buyer with a verified phone number and an address on file selects Text Seller or Reveal Phone Number. A seller can turn both buttons off with Let buyers text or call me in Account Settings. A seller’s email address is shown only if the seller turns on Let buyers email me, and only to the same buyers, through Email Seller. Neither the phone number nor the email address is part of the listing page itself, and each account may reveal up to 30 seller contacts per hour.
An email after every password change
SUOOG sends you an email after every password change made in Account Settings or with Forgot Password. If you did not make the change, reset your password with Forgot Password and email contact@suoog.ca.
Every listing is reviewed, every time it changes
Before a listing is published, its text and photos are checked automatically for contact details, prohibited items and inappropriate images. Every edit, even one that only adds a paid add-on, returns the listing to Pending: it leaves the public feed until it is approved again, and keeps its remaining days.
Common scam red flags
Spot a scam?
Report it.
We review every report and remove fraudulent listings or accounts. If a buyer or seller harasses you, keep the messages and send them to us with the link to the listing. We may suspend the account and remove its verified checkmark. For criminal fraud, please also report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre — 1‑888‑495‑8501.