1. How to use this checklist

This is the page to glance at before you pay for something new. It works for online buys, marketplace pickups, service bookings, and even buying in person. If you can tick most of these boxes, you are in good shape. If you cannot tick the basics, slow down.

The detail behind each item sits in Spot a scam and Your rights under the FCCPA. This page is the quick reference.

2. Before you pay

2.1 Verify the business

• Find them on more than one source. Website, social media, Ratecrest. A business with only an Instagram page and no other footprint deserves more caution.
• Check the age of their accounts. A "five-year-old company" with a three-week-old Instagram is worth a second look.
• If they claim to be a registered business, the CAC public search lets you confirm.
• Look at their reviews on Ratecrest. Read the negative ones, not just the positive ones. A pattern of complaints about the same thing is a real signal.
• Avoid relying on reviews that all sound the same or appeared within a few days of each other.

2.2 Verify the offer

• Compare the price to the going rate on at least two other places.
• If the price is far below the rate, ask why. A genuine reason exists sometimes. A scam excuse exists more often.
• Read the full listing for hidden conditions. "Subject to availability," "non-refundable deposit," and "additional fees apply" change the deal.
• Ask one or two specific questions before you pay. Slow, vague, or evasive answers are a signal.

2.3 Verify the channel

• Are you paying through a normal Nigerian channel? A business bank account, Paystack, Flutterwave, card on a verified site.
• If the only payment option is transfer to a personal account, ask for an alternative. A real business has one.
• For large amounts, escrow services protect both sides until the goods arrive.
• Never share your bank PIN, card CVV (outside the checkout flow), BVN, or full NIN with anyone selling you something.

3. When buying online

• The URL in your browser bar should match the business name and start with "https://". Check the spelling carefully. Scam sites use lookalike domains.
• The site should have a working contact form or visible support contact. A site with no way to reach a human is a warning.
• For first-time purchases, start small. A trial order tells you a lot before you commit to a larger one.
• Save the order confirmation, the receipt, and the listing screenshots. You may need them later.

4. When buying in person or picking up

• Meet at the business's address, not "somewhere convenient". A seller who will not meet at their own premises is a question mark.
• For high-value goods, take someone with you, especially in the evening.
• Examine the item before you pay. For phones and electronics, this includes powering on, checking the serial, and confirming the box matches the device.
• For services, get the scope, price, and timeline in writing before any payment.
• Get a receipt every time. "We do not give receipts" is not a real Nigerian business practice.

5. Paying by bank transfer

• Confirm the receiving account name matches the business name, not a stranger's name.
• For larger amounts, send a small test transfer first and confirm it arrived before sending the rest.
• Use the reference field. Put the order number or your name so the business can match the payment quickly.
• Save the transfer confirmation screenshot from your own app, not the seller's "alert" screenshot.

6. After you pay

• Hold onto every screenshot, message, and receipt for at least 90 days, longer for high-value items.
• If the goods arrive damaged, wrong, or not at all, contact the business through official channels first and give them a reasonable time to fix it.
• If they will not fix it, you have rights under the FCCPA. See Your rights under the FCCPA.
• Leave an honest review on Ratecrest, good or bad. Specifics help other Nigerians more than generalities.

7. If things go wrong

• Call your bank's fraud line within the first hour if you paid by transfer and suspect fraud. Speed is everything.
• File a report with the EFCC for financial fraud. Keep your evidence organised.
• File a complaint with the FCCPC for consumer rights breaches by a public-facing business.
• For privacy misuse, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission handles complaints.
• Be careful of "recovery agents" who appear after a scam. They are usually a second scam. The legitimate routes to recovery are your bank, the EFCC, and the courts.

8. The even shorter version

• Verify the business on more than one source.
• Compare the price to the going rate.
• Pay through a normal channel, not a personal account you were pushed to.
• Never share PINs, OTPs, BVN, or full ID details with a seller.
• Keep every receipt and screenshot.
• Start small when you are new to a seller.
• Slow down when someone is rushing you.
• Tell others when you find a scam. Leave an honest review when you find a good business.

9. Questions

The contact form is the right way to reach us about anything in this checklist. Write "Safe shopping" in the subject so the right team picks it up.