Detect and limit automated abuse of marketplace listings and messages
Buyers need to trust the listings, and sellers need to read their messages. Scrapers copy listings, bulk sign-ups create fake sellers, and message bots flood inboxes. Centinel looks at how each request was made, so you can act on the automation without slowing down real buyers.
Request a site auditAbuse arrives through ordinary routes
A competitor scrapes the same search page that buyers use. The sign-up form that creates fake sellers is the one real sellers fill in. Abusive requests arrive on legitimate routes, so blocking the route also blocks real users. Centinel evaluates how each request was made.
Read the analysisWhat the traffic looks like
Price monitoring at scale
Competitors and aggregators crawl search and item pages to track prices and copy listings. They rotate IP 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 message, sent to many inboxes
A script can use messaging and offer features 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 IP address or header.
Teams can rate-limit or challenge a scraping session without putting every buyer through the same check.
Read more: Evidence on search and item routesEvidence 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.
Teams can challenge automated posting, and the platform can hold it for review before buyers see it. Centinel does not review listing content or decide whether an item is legitimate.
Read more: Evidence around sign-up and postingA 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 more: A separate policy for messagingKeep 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: Keep search crawlers and partners
See what reaches your site
Start with a free scraping audit. A person reviews the scraping test results, then emails you the exposed pages and fixes to consider. The audit covers scraping exposure only, not every abuse pattern or all production traffic. Discuss broader coverage in a demo.
Marketplaces and 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, often through rotating proxies so each request looks like a new buyer.
How are fake seller accounts created at scale?
Sign-up scripts often open fake seller accounts. The script fills in the registration form with generated details, then posts listings through the normal flow. The form values can look ordinary, so the evidence is how the session behaved, not only what it submitted.
Can a marketplace block scrapers without blocking Google?
Yes. Centinel can check a declared search crawler against the verification data its operator publishes, 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 can need both. Bot protection handles scripted volume, and fraud tools handle the people who get through.