Online shopping in Nigeria has never been easier — and neither has falling for a scam. Fraudsters follow the money: they create fake listings, fake payment confirmations and fake couriers to separate you from your hard-earned money.
The good news is that most of these scams share the same warning signs. Once you know what to look for, you can avoid the vast majority of them.
This guide walks through the most common online shopping scams in Nigeria and the simple checks that protect you from each one.
1The "payment confirmed" screenshot trick
This is one of the most common scams in Nigeria. A buyer or seller sends you a screenshot that "proves" money has been sent to your account.
Never release a product or fulfil an order based on a screenshot alone. Confirm the money actually arrived in your account or wallet before doing anything.
Legitimate payments reflect in your balance within minutes or even seconds. If the sender keeps insisting "it has been sent, please check again" while your balance stays empty, treat it as a red flag.
2The too-good-to-be-true price
Fraudsters attract buyers with prices far below the market value of an item — a brand-new iPhone for a fraction of the real cost, a designer bag at a giveaway price.
If a deal looks unbelievable, it probably is. Compare the price to what similar items sell for elsewhere.
When the price is suspiciously low, the "seller" usually has a "logistics issue" that requires you to pay upfront. That upfront payment is what they are after.
3Sellers who rush you to pay
Legitimate sellers want you to be comfortable. Scammers apply pressure: "Only two left", "This deal ends tonight", "Send payment now or someone else takes it."
Urgency is a classic manipulation tactic. Real offers do not disappear in minutes.
Step back, breathe, and ask the seller for more details, more photos, or a phone call. A genuine seller will welcome your questions.
4Requests for "security" or OTP codes
No legitimate buyer or seller will ever ask for your One-Time Password, PIN, or card details over chat or phone.
Anyone who asks for these codes is trying to access your account or authorize a payment you did not approve.
If someone claims they need it to "verify" or "complete" a transaction, block them and, if possible, report the conversation to the platform you are using.
5Advance-fee and "logistics" payments
A common scam asks you to pay a "shipping fee", "insurance" or "clearance charge" before your package is sent. Once you pay, the seller disappears.
Be very cautious about any seller who keeps adding extra fees after you have already paid for the item itself.
Genuine sellers disclose delivery costs clearly and upfront. If costs keep changing, stop and walk away.
6Fake delivery and courier scams
Some fraudsters pose as delivery agents. They contact you to say your package has arrived and ask you to pay a small "delivery fee" to receive it.
If you did not order from that seller, there is no package. If you did order, the delivery fee was almost certainly already agreed with the seller.
Confirm the courier company and tracking details with the actual seller before paying anyone claiming to deliver goods.
7Buyers who overpay and ask for refunds
A buyer "accidentally" pays you more and asks you to refund the difference. Often the original payment was fake or reversed, and the "refund" you send is real money that leaves your account.
Never send a refund before confirming the original payment is genuinely settled and irreversible.
Scammers count on people acting quickly out of embarrassment or politeness. Take your time.
8Sellers who push you off-platform
A seller you met on a marketplace suddenly asks you to complete the deal on WhatsApp, Telegram or another app to "make it faster".
Leaving the platform removes you from the marketplace's safety checks, communication records and dispute protection. That is exactly why scammers ask.
Whenever possible, keep the conversation, payment and delivery on the platform where you found the seller.
9Trust signals you should actually look for
Not everything is about suspicion. Good sellers give you reasons to trust them:
- Multiple clear photos that show the actual item
- Willingness to answer questions honestly
- Consistent reviews or references from real customers
- Clear delivery timelines and costs
- Secure, verifiable payment methods
10What to do if you have been scammed
If you have already been scammed, act immediately:
- Contact your bank or payment provider to try to stop or reverse the transfer
- Save the full chat history, payment details and the scammer's account information
- Report the incident to the platform you used
- Report to law enforcement agencies tracking online fraud in Nigeria
Reporting helps platforms and agencies identify the same fraudsters before they scam the next person.
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