Choose the meeting place wisely
A good spot solves half the meeting. Pick somewhere open, busy, and in daylight — not someone's courtyard, a dead-end alley, or late at night. The best places are ones where people are always around.
In practice this list works: police stations, outside banks, ASAN service centres, shopping malls, and crowded squares. These places have cameras and witnesses, which puts both sides at ease.
If you can, bring someone you know along. Settle the time and place in writing inside the in-app chat, so there's a record.
Settle the exact address only in chat. The listing map shows just an approximate area — never reveal the precise point in the listing itself.
Safe meeting spots
Money and payment rules
Where and how money moves is the main field for fraud. So set the rules for yourself in advance and don't budge from them.
The steps below are simple, but they cut off almost every payment scam.
- 1Never pay upfront for "delivery", a "deposit", or a "return fee" — these are scam tells.
- 2If you're giving a reward, hand it over only in person, once the item is already in your hands.
- 3Never share your card number, passwords, or SMS/OTP codes — no reason ever justifies it.
- 4If a transfer is suggested, stop. The right sequence is simple: meet, check the item, then (if any) give the reward.
Verify ownership before you hand over
When returning a found item, the key question is simple: is this person really the owner? The answer lives in the secret detail.
When creating a listing, the owner records a detail only they would know — a rare card inside the wallet, a scratch on the back of the phone, the keyring on the keys. Only the owner and moderators can see it.
Before handing over, ask for that detail. The right person answers it easily and exactly. Hesitation, changing the subject, or "I'll tell you later" tells you something.
Don't say the secret detail first. Let the owner tell it to you — otherwise the check is meaningless.
- 1No prepayment
- 2Reward in person
- 3Never share codes
Red flags: recognise the common scams
Scammers don't invent much — they repeat the same few moves. Spot them in advance and you'll catch most in the first minute of the conversation.
See one or two of these and stay cautious. Several at once leaves little doubt.
- Pressure to pay before meeting — "send a deposit first, then I'll bring it".
- A flat refusal to meet in person, with a fresh excuse every time.
- Asking for card details, a password, or an SMS/OTP code.
- "I'll send a courier/taxi" — moving the item through an unknown third party.
- Manufactured urgency — "decide now", "transfer in 5 minutes or I give it to someone else".
- Dodging the secret detail while demanding the item "urgently".
What to do when something feels off
Trust your gut. If the conversation makes you uneasy, you're being rushed, or something just doesn't add up — that's reason enough. You owe no one an explanation.
Stop — don't pay and don't go to the meeting. Use the "Report" button next to every listing and message; moderators review it.
When risky keywords appear in chat, an automatic safety warning pops up, and a permanent safety banner stays in view. They give you a moment to pause and think.
An honest note: we're a platform, not a guarantor
itirdim.az is a platform that brings people together — not a guarantee that items come back. We say this plainly, because honesty is the foundation of trust.
The banner, chat warnings, the report button, and accounts verified by SMS or ASAN are tools that help — they lower risk, but don't erase it. The final call is always yours.
So treat this article as reminders, not rules. Follow them and you keep control of the meeting in your own hands.
The bottom line
A safe handover isn't complicated: meet in a lit, busy place, keep money strictly hand-to-hand, verify ownership with the secret detail, and don't ignore the red flags.
If your instinct says stop, stop and report. These steps are simple, but they keep returning or reclaiming an item calm, clear, and under your control.