Trust and Safety: Verify Official Moda Groups
Verify groups, check team members, and learn how to stay safe across all 23 Moda communities. Wondering if Moda itself is legit? Read the full answer.
Instant check, no login required
What links work with the verifier?
Good to know: there are hundreds of fake Moda groups, and they copy our posts, profiles and member counts, so check the group before you do anything. Never accept a screenshot of a reference check; run a fresh one yourself in the real group. All internal Moda HQ admins have blue checkmarks on Facebook, so be cautious with an admin who has none.
The real Moda Watch Club is the Watchtrading group on Facebook
Moda Watch Club is a private Facebook group founded by Vadim Moda in February 2018. 94,700+ members. It is free to join with admin approval. Standalone websites using the Moda Watch Club name to charge membership fees are impersonating the brand. Moda HQ never charges to access Moda Watch Club. Its address is facebook.com/groups/Watchtrading.
Check if a contact is really Moda
Got a text or email claiming to be Moda? Paste the phone number or email below to confirm it is one of our official contacts. Moda will never DM you asking you to pay in crypto or to send a deposit (the one exception is David on a custom ring), and will never cold message you off a comment to sell you a watch you asked about somewhere else. Crypto on a Moda deal only ever runs through Kettle Pay.
Watches
Cars
Wholesale Car Club is temporarily down on Facebook. In the meantime, post in the Wholesale Car Club Forum.
Gold & Jewelry
Lifestyle
How the scams actually work
These are not hypotheticals. Over a million dollars has been lost to fake Moda groups that we know about. Here is how they operate.
There are hundreds of fake Moda groups out there. They bot the member count to match ours (or go higher to look more legit), copy every listing, every seller profile, even our admin profiles. The posts look real because they are real posts, just reposted in a fake group. Before you do anything, paste the group link into the verifier above. If it is not listed here, it is not us.
They do not list a Batman for $8,000. They list it for $15,000 when the real market is $17,500. Just enough under wholesale to make someone who knows watches think they found a deal. Then they run a fake reference check in the fake group where botted accounts reply "vouch" and "legit." The deal looks perfect. That is the point.
Scammers copy the profiles of real Moda admins and team members, including photos, posts, and friends lists. They DM you from these fake profiles offering deals or asking for payment. Use the admin check above on any profile.
You post a WTB or win an auction in a real group. Someone DMs you saying "buyer backed out, you can have it for a few grand less." Sounds like a lucky break. It is not. They saw your real post and are using it against you. Always verify who is messaging you and do a fresh reference check in the actual group before sending anything.
These operations are sophisticated. They set up real US bank accounts under names similar to the business they are impersonating. They send wire instructions that look legitimate. For shipping, they provide a US address, and once the package is in transit they reroute it internationally. No insurance, no recourse. Over a million dollars has been lost to fake Moda groups that we know about.
Someone sends you a screenshot of a reference check from a "Moda group" showing big dealers vouching for them. The screenshot is from a fake group, or it is an old screenshot from a real group being used out of context. Never accept a screenshot as proof. Run your own fresh reference check in the real group yourself.
Questions about checking a group
How do I know if a Facebook group is real or fake?
Paste the Facebook group link into the Moda Clubs verification tool at modacommunities.com/verify. It checks against the official list of 23 Moda communities. You should also look for Meta Verified blue checkmarks on all admin accounts.
What types of Facebook links can I verify?
The tool accepts group links (facebook.com/groups/...), post links, share links (facebook.com/share/p/...), and mobile/short links (m.facebook.com, fb.com). Share links are resolved automatically on the server side.
Why do fake Facebook groups exist?
Scammers copy legitimate group names, photos, and member counts to trick people into fraudulent deals. They inflate numbers with bot accounts to appear credible. Always verify before buying or selling in any group.
How can I verify a Moda admin is real?
Use the admin verification tool on our Trust & Safety page. Paste their Facebook profile link and it will check against our team of 14 HQ members and 25 moderators. Real Moda admins will never ask for money or personal information through DMs.
How do I report a fake Moda group?
Report it on the Report page at modacommunities.com/report or email info@modaclubs.com with the group link, and report the group to Facebook directly. The verifier confirms which groups are real; Moda does not keep a public list of the fakes.
What should I do if I was scammed in a fake group?
Contact your bank or payment provider right away, because Moda cannot reverse a payment. Report the group or profile to Facebook, and file a report at modacommunities.com/report with the link and any screenshots. Moda cooperates with law enforcement and will help with a police report.
Think something is off? Let us know.