Keep marketplace listings and messages free of automated abuse
A marketplace works when buyers trust the listings and sellers read their messages. Scrapers, bulk sign-ups, and message bots all erode that. Centinel looks at how each request was made, so you can act on the automation without slowing down real buyers.
Request a site auditEvery abuse arrives through an ordinary route
The search page a competitor scrapes is the same one a buyer uses. The sign-up form that creates a hundred spam sellers is the one real sellers fill in. Because every abusive request arrives on a legitimate route, blocking the route is not an option. The useful question is how the request was made.
Read the researchWhat the traffic looks like
Price monitoring at scale
Competitors and aggregators walk search and item pages to track prices and copy listings. They rotate addresses and browser profiles so each request looks like a new visitor.
Seller accounts made in bulk
A sign-up script can open seller accounts in bulk and post listings faster than a moderation queue can review them.
One pitch, thousands of inboxes
Messaging and offer features can be scripted to send the same text or external link to many users in a short time.
What runs against this traffic
Evidence on search and item routes
In supported browser deployments, Centinel evaluates request and browser evidence on search results and item pages instead of relying on one address or header.
A scraping session can be rate-limited or challenged without putting every buyer through the same check.
Read moreEvidence around sign-up and posting
In supported browser flows, Centinel evaluates the session around account creation and listing submission, not only the values in the form.
Automated posting can be challenged or held for review before buyers see it. Centinel does not review listing content or decide whether an item is legitimate.
Read moreA separate policy for messaging
Message, offer, and contact routes can carry their own response, separate from the policy for browsing.
Teams can slow or challenge scripted outreach without restricting ordinary conversations. Filtering message content stays with the platform.
Read moreKeep search crawlers and partners
Centinel can compare a declared crawler identity with the verification data its operator publishes.
Verified search crawlers and approved feed partners keep their access. A copied crawler name receives no automatic trust.
Read more
Want to see what reaches your site?
Start with a free scraping audit: tested tools, exposed pages, and fixes to consider, reviewed by hand and emailed to you. This checks scraping exposure, not every abuse pattern or all production traffic. Discuss broader workflow coverage in a demo.
Marketplaces & classifieds: common questions
What platform and security teams ask before they deploy.
What is price scraping on a marketplace?
Price scraping is the automated collection of prices and listing details from search and item pages. Competitors and aggregators run it to track or undercut a marketplace, usually through rotating proxies so each request looks like a new buyer.
How are fake seller accounts created at scale?
Fake seller accounts are usually opened by a sign-up script that fills in the registration form with generated details and then posts listings through the normal flow. The form values can look ordinary, so the useful evidence is how the session behaved, not only what it typed.
Can a marketplace block scrapers without blocking Google?
Yes. Verified search crawlers can be confirmed against the verification data their operators publish, and approved feed partners can keep an explicit policy. A scraper that copies a crawler's user agent gets no trust from the name alone.
Does Centinel detect scam listings or spam messages?
No. Centinel evaluates the automation behind a listing, message, or sign-up, not the content. It can challenge or slow scripted posting and outreach, while decisions about whether an item or message is a scam stay with your moderation team.
How is bot protection different from marketplace fraud prevention?
Bot protection asks how a request was made; fraud prevention asks who is behind an account or payment. They cover different layers, and a marketplace usually needs both: bot protection handles scripted volume at the edge, fraud tools handle the people who get through.