Verified Seller Badge: Share a Check Link
To show buyers you checked your item for theft reports, run a SafeOrStolen check on its serial number, IMEI or VIN, then get the $1.99 verification certificate under the result (free for monthly members). It's a page with its own link showing the check date, the records searched and the result. Paste that link into your listing. SafeOrStolen doesn't make a badge image; the link is the badge.
Updated October 7, 2026
How to get your link
- Find your item's serial number, IMEI or VIN and enter it on the verify page.
- Read the result. If it says "reported stolen" or "possible match", don't list the item: see the questions below.
- Under the result, choose "Get my certificate" and pay $1.99. Monthly members skip the payment.
- The certificate page opens. Copy its link from your browser.
- Paste the link into your listing description, or send it to buyers in the chat.
What buyers see when they open it
| On the page | Example |
|---|---|
| Heading | Verification Record, marked "Verified by SafeOrStolen" |
| Record ID | SOS-7K2M-4Q8X |
| Check date | In UTC and in the viewer's local time |
| Category | Phone, vehicle, license plate, serial number, firearm or bicycle |
| Result | No theft report found in the records searched |
| Masked identifier | ...4821 |
| Records searched | Each source the check covered |
| Record hash (SHA-256) | A long code calculated from the details when the record was made |
| Disclaimer | That the record shows a search and its result, and is not proof of ownership or a guarantee |
Make the link count
- Include a photo of the serial label in your listing, so buyers can match the last four characters to the certificate.
- Mention it in the first lines of the description, where buyers read before they message.
- At the meetup, unlock the item and sign out of your accounts while the buyer watches. A certificate doesn't replace that.
- Bring the receipt or order confirmation if you have it. See how to prove an item is not stolen for what else buyers look for.
Check your item first
The certificate offer appears under every check result. Your first check is free.
Check a serial number, IMEI or VINQuestions sellers ask
Does SafeOrStolen have a verified seller badge?
Not as an image. What SafeOrStolen gives sellers is a verification certificate: a page with its own link showing the date of a check on your item, the records searched and the result. It costs $1.99 and is free for monthly members. You paste the link into your listing, and buyers open it to see the check for themselves (safeorstolen.com/seller-badge explains how).
How do I add the verification link to my listing?
Copy the certificate link from your browser after it opens. Paste it at the end of your listing description, for example "Serial checked on SafeOrStolen:" followed by the link. Some marketplaces hide or block links in listings; if yours does, send the link in the chat when a buyer asks about the item.
Can buyers tell the certificate is real?
Yes. The link opens on safeorstolen.com, not on a screenshot you made, and shows the record ID, the check date in UTC and local time, the result and a SHA-256 hash calculated when the record was made. The details can't be edited afterwards. Buyers can still ask you to read the serial off the item so they know the certificate matches it.
Does the certificate show my full serial number?
No. It shows only the last four characters, like ...4821, plus the item category. That lets a buyer match it against the item at the meetup without the full number sitting in a public listing. Give the full number to serious buyers in the chat so they can run their own check if they want to.
Does the certificate prove my item isn't stolen?
No, and it says so on the page. It shows that a check was run on the date shown and what it found. Many stolen items are never reported to any database, so no check can prove an item was never stolen. What it does show a buyer is that you checked openly, which is what an honest seller does.
How much does it cost?
The check itself is one of your checks: 2 are free with no account needed, then $0.99 for 2 checks or $10 a month for unlimited checks. The certificate is $1.99 on top, or included free with the monthly plan. You only need one certificate per item.
What if my item comes back reported stolen?
Don't sell it. If you bought it used, it may have been stolen before it reached you. Contact your local police on the non-emergency line with your proof of purchase. If you believe the report is a mistake, for example an item you reported and later got back, email safeorstolenmail@gmail.com with the details.