Prohibited items and services

• Anything that's illegal to sell, buy or own where you or the other person live.
• Stolen goods, or items you don't own or don't have the right to sell.
• Counterfeit, replica or unauthorised copies of branded goods, and anything else that infringes someone's copyright or trade mark.
• Official documents such as passports, driving licences and ID cards, and items made to look like them.

• Firearms, air weapons, ammunition, parts that make up a firearm, and imitation firearms.
• Knives and bladed items that it's illegal to sell, and offensive weapons.
• Explosives, fireworks and hazardous chemicals.
• Products that have been recalled or that don't meet UK safety rules, such as unsafe electrical items and child car seats with unknown history.

• Illegal drugs, psychoactive substances and drug equipment.
• Prescription and pharmacy medicines, and medical devices that need a prescription.
• Alcohol, tobacco, vapes and e-cigarettes, because we can't check the buyer's age at handover.
• Adult content and sexual services.

• Cash, gift cards, vouchers, prepaid cards, cryptocurrency, loans or any transfer of money that isn't payment for an item or a job.
• Deposits or rent for flats, rooms, holiday lets or anything else you don't take away there and then.
• Digital goods, software keys, game items and online accounts, and personal data of any kind.
• Event tickets sold for more than their face value.

Deposits for rentals and holidays are one of the most common scams. If someone asks you to pay a deposit through Holdipay for a property you haven't seen, stop.

You can use Holdipay for work done in person that you can see and check, for example decorating, building and repairs, plumbing and electrical work, cleaning, gardening, removals, car repairs and lessons. These services can't be paid for with Holdipay:

• Online or remote services, such as design, coding, marketing or coaching.
• Financial, legal, immigration, medical and other regulated professional services.
• Travel, holidays, events and anything paid for in advance of a booking.
• Adult services, gambling, dating and anything illegal.
• Work that needs a licence or certificate the tradesperson doesn't have.

• Live animals, including pets and livestock.
• Human remains, body parts and anything made from protected wildlife.

Payments run on Stripe, so anything on Stripe's list of restricted businesses can't be bought or sold through Holdipay either.

We may refuse or refund the payment, keep it on hold while we look into it, stop the people involved from using Holdipay, and report illegal activity to the police or other authorities. See our terms of service.

Seen something on this list, or a payment link that doesn't look right? Email hello@holdipay.com with the payment reference (it starts HOLDI-) or a screenshot. Don't enter any details on a link you're unsure about.