The High Commissioner for Children reacted immediately following the publication on social networks of videos warning of possible child trafficking. What are these suspicious ads really hiding? Decryption.
For several days, a wave of concern and incomprehension has shaken social networks regarding the Vinted platform. Internet users have highlighted a series of ads that are unusual and disturbing to say the least: simple everyday objects, such as stuffed animals or a photo of a rose, are offered at totally disproportionate prices, reaching several thousand euros. “Rare flower, up to 1 month, 50 cm, very good condition” sold for 20,000 euros, we can read on one of these advertisements.
This blatant discrepancy between the real value of these items and the astronomical amounts claimed immediately aroused questions and suspicion from users, many fearing that the second-hand application would be diverted for illicit purposes by revealing details about the gender and age of a child. So, could there be child trafficking on Vinted, as has already been pointed out in 2023?
Faced with the proliferation of these online reports, the authorities quickly took the matter seriously. Thus, the police carried out technical checks on these suspicious profiles and the national police made a report to the Pharos platform, in order to shed light on the exact nature of these advertisements and to block the incriminated accounts. For her part, the High Commissioner for Children, Sarah El Haïry, confirmed to us, during an interview on June 23, 2026, that she had also reported these worrying announcements.
“I took legal action, I seized Pharos and Arcom”, to avoid taking any risks and “as a precautionary principle”. “I prefer that we do the necessary investigations, and perhaps find nothing at the end rather than telling myself that there are perhaps children who are victims of abuse and that there is a human trafficking network via this platform and saying to ourselves that we have not been up to the task“, estimates the High Commissioner for Children. Faced with these “horrors of the world”, she wishes to fight against this child crime which is exploding. “I had a certain number of elements which I submitted and transmitted to the justice teams with an article 40*”Sarah El Hairy tells us. Through this initiative, and in doubt, thehe government representative affirms her desire not to leave any gray area when the safety of children is at stake.
It remains to be seen how the Vinted platform manages to delete ads that do not correspond to their charter or posted in the wrong section, to analyze and verify handbag models to avoid counterfeits, but fails to see that this type of ads could pose a problem. “We have reviewed the advertisements currently appearing online and have found no evidence linking them to child trafficking activities.” Vinted nevertheless responded to the Journal du Dimanche.
*Article 40 specifies that “Any constituted authority, any public officer or civil servant who, in the exercise of his functions acquires knowledge of a crime or misdemeanor is required to give notice without delay to the prosecutor.
