At Deposit Guardian, protecting you from fraud is one of our top priorities. Our secure vault process helps safeguard both buyers and sellers from fraudulent users — but if anything about a transaction feels suspicious, we encourage you to contact us immediately.

Be alert to the following red flags when buying or selling machinery online:

• Seller refuses to use the Deposit Guardian vault and insists on sending money directly, with no deposit protection in place
• Price is significantly below market value — if it seems too good to be true, it usually is
• Seller is based overseas or cannot meet in person
• Listing photos appear to be stolen from other websites (use reverse image search)
• Seller cannot provide a VIN or serial number
• Pressure to complete the transaction urgently
• Vague or copy-paste description with no specific details about the machine

The Deposit Guardian vault is specifically designed to eliminate the most common machinery scam — where a buyer sends a deposit and the seller disappears.

• Your deposit is transferred directly into a dedicated holding account via bank transfer or PayID — never released until you confirm satisfaction
• The seller is notified the deposit is confirmed but cannot access it
• You have an agreed inspection period to physically verify the machine
• If the machine doesn't match the listing you can raise a dispute before funds are released

If you suspect fraud or receive a suspicious message claiming to be from Deposit Guardian, contact us immediately at support@depositguardian.com or call 0421 992 122.

Before contacting any seller, it's also worth running your own checks — a quick reverse image search on the listing photos, and a PPSR check on the VIN or serial number, can catch many scams before any money changes hands.