How to Spot & Avoid Online Marketplace Scams in Nigeria
The five most common online marketplace scams in Nigeria — fake alerts, overpayment refunds, 'agent' pickups — and exactly how to neutralise each one.
Whether you are buying a fairly used iPhone in Lagos or selling a generator in Abuja, the scam playbook is short and repetitive. Learn the five patterns below and almost nothing will catch you off guard.
Scam 1: The fake bank alert
Buyer shows you an SMS or screenshot of a 'successful transfer' and pressures you to hand over the item. Counter: only trust your banking app — or use escrow, which removes the need to check at all.
Scam 2: The overpayment refund
Buyer 'accidentally' sends ₦500,000 instead of ₦50,000 and begs you to refund the difference. The original credit later reverses. Counter: never refund from your own balance; tell them to reverse it from their end.
Scam 3: The 'send the item, my agent will collect'
Buyer claims to be abroad and sends a courier or 'logistics agent' with cash on delivery — the cash never arrives. Counter: only release goods once funds are in escrow, not on a courier promise.
Scam 4: The phishing payment link
Buyer sends a fake Paystack/Flutterwave page asking you to 'confirm' your card. Counter: never enter card details to receive money. Real Nigerian payment processors push money in, they do not pull it from your card.
Scam 5: The chargeback after delivery
On platforms without escrow, a buyer pays then disputes the transfer with their bank after collecting the item. Counter: use a marketplace that holds funds until delivery is confirmed.
Sell safely on SafeTrades — escrow-protected payments
List your item free. Buyers pay in Naira via Paystack or Flutterwave; funds are released to you after delivery.