Recommendation

Caution

Overall Summary

Suspicious

Why we think so

Reverb.com is a well-established online marketplace focused on musical instruments, gathering about 14.8 million visits monthly, mostly from the US. It uses a broad set of reliable technologies including major payment providers like PayPal, Visa, and Apple Pay, and is hosted on reputable infrastructure such as Amazon and Cloudflare. The domain was registered in 2002 and is managed by Reverb Infrastructure in Chicago, with a valid SSL certificate. It holds active trademarks for the REVERB name in various classes relevant to entertainment and musical products. On Google Places, Reverb's corporate office is listed in Chicago with generally low user rating scores (2 out of 5, from 82 reviews). News articles and official updates are regularly published on their site. However, user reports found across forums and review sites reveal a pattern of issues including buyer and seller scams, disputes over refunds, and some dissatisfaction with customer support responsiveness and dispute resolutions. External phishing scams have also been reported impersonating Reverb. Users should use caution, stick to official payment channels, and carefully verify sellers when buying or selling on Reverb.

Confidence Score

85%

Risk Insights

🏢

Established Domain and Verified Brand

Domain registered in 2002 with full WHOIS transparency

Multiple active trademarks support brand legitimacy

Valid SSL certificate secures user connections

⚠️

Mixed User Reputation

Low Google Places rating (2/5) with 82 reviews

Multiple reports of scams and poor dispute handling

Some phishing scams impersonate the brand externally

Contradictory Signals

While the domain and trademarks are valid, user experiences reveal operational and trust issues.

Signal A: Strong technical and legal indicators of authenticity

Signal B: User reports and low ratings signal poor trust and risk

Category Scores

Identity 85/100

Reputation 45/100

Technical 90/100

Content 80/100

Legal 85/100

Business Validity 88/100

Red Flags & Warnings

Multiple consumer complaints about unresolved disputes and fraud affecting buyers and sellers.
Poor support responsiveness and account management leading to user frustration.

🔎 Detailed Checks & Analysis

Domain age and WHOIS data

Score: 90/100

Passed

"A long-registered domain with transparent ownership supports legitimacy."

Reason: The domain has been registered since 2002 with complete WHOIS details linked to a verifiable company in Chicago.

SSL certificate validity

Score: 90/100

Passed

"Valid SSL is a baseline security feature for trustworthiness."

Reason: SSL certificate is valid and currently active, issued by a recognized authority.

Technologies and infrastructure

Score: 85/100

Passed

"Robust technological ecosystem supports operational reliability."

Reason: Uses reputable payment systems (PayPal, Visa, Apple Pay), hosting (Amazon, Cloudflare) and analytics tools.

Brand and Trademark verification

Score: 85/100

Passed

"Trademark registrations confirm real operational brand identity."

Reason: Multiple active trademarks under REVERB registered with USPTO indicate brand protection.

User reviews and reputation

Score: 40/100

Failed

"Consistent reports of user dissatisfaction and incidents reduce trustworthiness."

Reason: Google Places rating low at 2/5 stars with numerous reports of scams and poor customer service.

Safety and scam detection

Score: 50/100

Failed

"Absence from blacklists is positive, though internal risks exist."

Reason: No blacklisting detected, but many user reports warn of scams and fraudulent activity within the platform.

Your Next Steps

1

Use official Reverb payment channels only to avoid scams.
2

Check seller feedback and verify listings carefully before purchase.
3

Report any suspicious activity or fraud attempts to Reverb support promptly.
4

Consult multiple user reviews and forums to assess risks.
5

Keep transaction records and use buyer protection plans offered by Reverb.

Evidence & Citations

User reports of scams and disputes on Reverb.com
Contains multiple documented reports from users about scams, refund issues, and customer support challenges.
WHOIS and SSL info for reverb.com
Domain registered since 2002, valid SSL cert issued in 2025.
Google Places ratings for Reverb corporate office
Rated 2 out of 5 stars based on 82 reviews.
Reverb trademarks registered at USPTO
Active trademarks for REVERB in multiple categories related to entertainment and music.

🕵🏻 Keep investigating

Recommended →

🌐 Vet another Website

Run another instant due diligence scan on any domain. Verify before you subscribe or shop!

Vet suspicious ticket resale websites

Scammers clone legitimate ticket exchanges or invent resale hubs that require wire transfers and Zelle deposits. ScamAI...

Read playbook →

Debunk fake news and review aggregators

Pseudo-news portals scrape legitimate outlets, tack on fake star ratings, and funnel traffic to shady merchants. ScamAI...

Read playbook →