France Targets Vinted And eBay After Looted Goods Appear For Sale Online

Vinted has stepped up checks on suspicious listings and removed items potentially linked to looting during France’s riots, as the government tightens its crackdown on the online resale of stolen goods. The action comes amid political controversy after US President Donald Trump and Republican allies blamed Muslim migrants for the violence without substantiated evidence.

The Lithuania-founded second-hand marketplace said on October 19 that its teams had immediately identified and removed suspicious advertisements. It warned that accounts violating its rules could face permanent bans and said it was cooperating with French authorities and law enforcement.

France’s digital affairs minister Ann e Le Hénanff summoned online platforms following reports that looted products were appearing for sale online. Representatives of Vinted, Amazon, eBay, Leboncoin, Meta and TikTok attended discussions involving officials from the interior and justice ministries.

The platforms committed to removing suspicious listings, sharing relevant seller information with investigators, strengthening monitoring and warning consumers about the risks and penalties of handling stolen goods. France also activated its VigE-commerce unit to coordinate government monitoring. An initial report detailing removals and enforcement measures was expected within 48 hours of the government’s October 20 announcement.

French law provides for penalties of up to five years in prison and a 375,000-euro fine for knowingly handling stolen goods.

The crackdown followed violent unrest on October 17, when demonstrations over the cost of living and underfunded public services escalated into clashes, arson and looting. Authorities reported that more than 3,000 businesses were damaged or looted. Luxury retailers Louis Vuitton and Rolex, alongside beauty chain Sephora, were among those affected.

Meanwhile, an Associated Press fact-check found no substantiated evidence that Muslim migrants were responsible for the widespread violence. Trump urged French President Emmanuel Macron to close the country’s borders, while Republican Senator Roger Marshall blamed radical Islam. French authorities have not linked immigrants to the riots, and France does not collect official statistics on protesters’ race or ethnicity.

Although some far-left activists were implicated in violence, experts said they could not explain the scale of the destruction. Reports also disputed claims that religious sites were deliberately targeted.

Vinted has not disclosed how many listings it removed. eBay said it could not confirm an increase in advertisements linked to the unrest. Vinted, whose major markets include France, Britain and Italy, was valued at 8 billion euros in a secondary share transaction earlier in 2026.