Most people you meet buying and selling online in Ghana are honest. The few who aren't use the same handful of tricks again and again. Once you know how those tricks work, they're easy to spot. Here are the scams we see most often, and the simple habits that protect you from almost all of them.
Scams that target buyers
Deposit before viewing
The seller asks you to send a "commitment fee" on Mobile Money so they'll hold the item for you, then disappears. Never pay anything for an item you haven't seen and checked in person.
The price that's too good
A laptop, car or fridge at half the price of everything similar is the bait. Compare prices on Wujibaba before you get excited, and be extra careful with anything far below the going rate.
The "delivery agent" fee
The seller says they're out of town and a courier will bring the item once you pay a delivery or customs fee. The item never comes. Prefer sellers who can meet you, and pay only when you have the item in your hands.
Swapped items
You check a working item, but a different one ends up in the bag. Keep the item you tested with you until you've paid, and test it again if it leaves your sight.
Scams that target sellers
The fake MoMo alert
The buyer "pays" and you receive an SMS that looks like a Mobile Money credit alert. It was typed by the buyer and sent from an ordinary number. Never trust an SMS as proof of payment. Check your actual balance in your MoMo app or through the official USSD menu before you hand anything over.
The "wrong transfer" refund
Someone sends you money, or pretends to, then calls in a panic saying it was a mistake and asks you to send it back. Often the original transfer is reversed later and you lose both. Tell them to contact their network's customer service to reverse it. Don't send money back yourself.
The PIN or code request
Nobody genuine, including Wujibaba, a buyer or a "MoMo agent", ever needs your Mobile Money PIN or a code sent to your phone. Anyone who asks is trying to empty your wallet.
Overpayment
A buyer pays more than the price "by accident" and asks for the difference back. It's the same trick as the wrong transfer. Wait until the full amount has cleared in your balance, and refund only through the network if there's a genuine mistake.
Habits that keep you safe
Meet in a busy public place
A mall, a bank, a busy junction or a fuel station in daylight. Bring a friend for anything valuable. Never go to a stranger's house or an isolated spot.
Check before you pay
Turn it on, try it on, open it up. A genuine seller expects this.
Keep the chat on record
Agree the price, condition and meeting place in WhatsApp messages. If something goes wrong, you have a record.
Look at the seller's history
On Wujibaba, check the seller's store page for their other listings, how long they've been selling and reviews from verified buyers.
Trust your gut
Pressure to decide quickly, stories that keep changing and refusal to meet are all reasons to walk away. There will always be another listing.
How Wujibaba helps
On Wujibaba, buyers chat with sellers directly on WhatsApp and pay when they meet, so there's never a reason to send money to someone you haven't met. Sellers can issue receipts for completed sales, and only buyers with a receipt can leave a review, so a seller's rating comes from real sales. Our moderators check listings, and you can report anything suspicious to our safety desk at any time using the WhatsApp button below.
If you've lost money to a scam, report it to the police and to your Mobile Money provider as quickly as possible. The sooner they know, the better the chance of stopping the money.