How to Avoid Scams When Buying or Selling Online in Nigeria

Online classifieds make buying and selling faster, but they also attract scammers who prey on urgency and trust. Most scams follow a small number of predictable patterns — once you know them, they're easy to spot and avoid entirely.

The fake bank alert

A buyer sends a screenshot or forwarded SMS claiming a transfer has gone through, then pressures you to hand over the item immediately, often citing that they're 'in a hurry' or 'about to board a flight'. Screenshots and forwarded messages are trivial to fake. Always confirm the money has actually landed in your account — check your bank app or dial your balance code directly — before releasing any item or service. Never rely on a message someone else sent you as proof of payment.

The 'pay a deposit to secure it' trick

As a buyer, be wary of sellers who insist on a deposit or 'agent fee' before you've seen the item in person, especially for cars, apartments, and electronics. Legitimate sellers on a marketplace like 247Market are generally happy to let you inspect an item first. If a deal only works when you pay something upfront to a stranger you've never met, treat that as a red flag, not a formality.

Fake delivery and courier scams

Especially common with phones and electronics: a 'seller' claims the item will be shipped by courier once you pay in full, then disappears after payment. For anything you can't inspect in person, prefer sellers local to you and arrange to meet, or use a trusted, trackable courier with pay-on-delivery where possible. Be suspicious of unusually low prices for in-demand electronics — if a brand-new iPhone is priced 40% below every other listing, there's usually a reason.

Impersonation of real businesses or people

Scammers sometimes copy photos and descriptions from a legitimate listing (or a real shop's product photos) and repost them at a lower price to lure buyers, then vanish after payment. Reverse-image-search suspicious photos, and be cautious of listings with stock-photo-quality images and no other details specific to the actual item (no visible serial number, no photo of the item in a real setting).

Verified sellers reduce risk, but don't eliminate the need to be careful

247Market's seller verification badge shows a seller has confirmed their identity, which raises accountability, but you should still follow safe-trading basics with every transaction: meet in public for high-value items, inspect before paying, and never wire money to someone you haven't verified is who they say they are.

Practical rules that stop almost every scam

Meet in a public place for the first transaction, especially for cash sales. Never pay any amount — deposit, 'agent fee', or shipping — before seeing the item or confirming the seller's identity. Confirm payments landed in your own account before releasing goods; don't trust screenshots. Trust your instincts: if a deal feels rushed or too good to be true, slow down and ask more questions. Report suspicious listings or users so the marketplace can act on the pattern, not just your individual case.

Most online trading in Nigeria is honest, everyday commerce between real buyers and sellers. A handful of common-sense habits — verify payment before handing anything over, meet in public, and don't let anyone rush you — will keep you safe from the small minority who aren't trading in good faith.