Safety Center

DesiSarvam connects you with real people, and almost every interaction ends well. A few simple habits keep it that way. Please read these before your first deal.

The golden rules

Never wire money, pay a deposit, or send gift cards before seeing the room, home, car or item in person. DesiSarvam never asks for payment to secure a listing, and no legitimate poster will pressure you to pay before you visit. If anyone asks for payment via Zelle, gift cards, or crypto before meeting, walk away and report the listing.

Scams to recognise

These are the patterns reported in our community. Any one of them is a reason to walk away and report the listing.

• A cheque or payment for more than the price, with a request to send back the difference. The cheque bounces after you have paid.
• A deposit or “holding fee” before you have seen the place, or a landlord who is “abroad” and will mail the keys.
• Payment by wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency, or a payment app to someone you have not met.
• A request to share a verification code sent to your phone, or to scan a QR code to “confirm” you are real. DesiSarvam never asks for a code.
• A rent or price far below the area, pressure to decide today, or a refusal to meet or video call.
• Shipping an item or a car to a buyer who has not paid in person, or a buyer who insists on their own “courier”.
• Training or placement fees against a guaranteed job, visa sponsorship or client interview. No school can guarantee these. Take the demo class first and pay the business, not a person.

Rooms and rentals

Visit in person or on a live video call before paying anything. Confirm the person showing the place actually controls it: a quick check is asking to see a utility bill or the building entry process. Get the agreement in writing, even between friends of friends, and never pay more than one month as a holding deposit.

Buying and selling cars

Meet in a public place in daylight, bring a friend, and test drive before discussing price. Verify the VIN on the listing matches the car and run a history report. Complete the title transfer at the DMV together; never hand over money against a promise of “mailing the title later”.

Services and events

For caterers, tutors, priests and other services, agree on the price and what's included in writing before the event. Pay a small advance at most, with the balance on delivery. For IT training, take the demo class first and pay in instalments if offered. Buying from a boutique, ask for a photo or video of the exact piece before paying, and for shipping pay by card or a method with buyer protection, never Zelle or a wire. For events, buy tickets only through the registration link on the listing or at the venue.

Protect your account

Your phone number is never shown publicly on DesiSarvam. Keep conversations in writing where you can, and be wary of anyone who immediately pushes to move the deal off-platform with urgency, sob stories, or too-good-to-be-true prices. Those three are the classic signs of a scam.

See something wrong?

Every listing has a “Report this listing” link, and it works even without an account. You can also write to us directly through the contact page. We read every report and remove fraudulent or abusive listings.