Due to the growing numbers in unemployment, a lot more people are starting their own businesses. But many of these new entrepreneurs have to rely on online transactions to boost their businesses.
They will typically post their products on Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and Twitter.
All one needs to do is to send a direct message to talk to the seller to make a purchase.
Because many of these online-based businesses demand and actually make it a point to secure payment before delivery, scammers have joined the fray.
Below are some red flags you must note when transacting online so you don’t become a victim of an online scam.
No refund policy
This is a no-go area. How can you want me to pay for items am yet to see physically but not want me to return it when I am not satisfied with the outcome of the product?
I believe there should be a fair agreement between both parties.
‘Inbox for price and details’…
Another scam alert is this ‘policy’. Why wouldn’t the vendor just put the price there for all viewers to see? Why would the vendor want you to DM first?
Fact is that these kinds of vendors quote different prices to different buyers for the same product.
Check out reviews
Many of these online scammers don’t have a credible account and so they don’t have many reviews to show.
They tend to create new accounts each time after scamming someone which leaves no space for review.
Check out for detailed pictures and videos
The pictures might be for them, but the question is how come they pictures but not videos of the many of the same products they have photos of?
Check out for an address or website
An online shop without a website or address is a huge problem, period! You must be able to trace any vendor you do business with if you can’t…well, your guess is as good as mine.
Check for their followers
Most often scammers have mainly private users you can’t see any activity on their pages.
If they have a lot of these fishy followers, they are sure are fishy themselves.