How can I avoid scams when buying or selling online?
Only buy when you can confirm who the seller is, and prefer ways of paying that protect you, like paying inside the platform or paying on delivery after you've seen the item. A very low price, pressure to pay quickly and a request for mobile money outside the app are the most common signs of a scam.
In private sales – Facebook Marketplace, Jiji, WhatsApp groups – the scammer advertises something they don't have, takes the mobile money payment and disappears. It also happens the other way round: a "buyer" sends you a fake mobile money message or a fake proof of payment.
Before you pay
- Be wary of a price far below what the item usually sells for.
- Don't leave the app to pay outside it.
- Search for the seller's name, number and username together with the word "scam".
- Ask for a video of the item with your name written on a piece of paper.
- If you're selling, check your mobile money balance or your banking app to see that the money has really arrived. Never trust a mobile money message, a screenshot or a PDF as proof of payment.
Frequently asked questions
- The seller has lots of reviews. Can I trust them?
- It helps, but reviews can be bought or come from another account. Look at how long the profile has existed.
Want to know if there are warning signs about the person you're chatting to? Veritaza checks the photos, the messages, the number, the email address, the name and the ID document, for USh 7,000.
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