You find a beautiful dress, a new phone or a household appliance online at a price that seems almost too good to be true. The store has attractive pictures, hundreds of followers and glowing customer reviews. You are ready to pay.

But how can you tell whether the seller is genuine or simply trying to take your money?

Fake online stores can appear as standalone websites, Instagram shops, Facebook pages, WhatsApp businesses or sponsored advertisements. Some imitate established brands, while others disappear after collecting payments from unsuspecting customers.

Before you enter your card details or transfer money to a seller, take a few minutes to check the store. These practical steps can help you recognise warning signs and make safer shopping decisions.

1. Be Careful With Prices That Seem Too Good to Be True

One of the easiest ways scammers attract customers is by advertising products at unusually low prices.

Imagine a seller offering a popular smartphone for ₦150,000 when similar models from reputable sellers cost considerably more. The seller claims the discount ends in ten minutes and insists that you pay immediately.

A genuine business can offer discounts, clearance sales and promotions. However, an unusually large price difference combined with pressure to pay deserves closer investigation.

Before paying:

  • Compare the price with several established retailers.

  • Check the exact model, specifications and condition of the product.

  • Confirm whether delivery charges or additional fees apply.

  • Be cautious when a seller refuses to explain an unusually low price.

A bargain is not automatically a scam, but it should not prevent you from checking the seller.

2. Check the Website Address Carefully

Fraudulent stores sometimes imitate the websites of recognised brands using addresses that look almost identical to the real ones.

For example, a fake website might add extra words, numbers or hyphens to a brand's domain name. It may also use a different domain ending from the official website.

Before entering payment information, inspect the full web address rather than relying on the logo, page design or name displayed at the top.

What to do:

  1. Search for the brand or business independently.

  2. Find its official website through a trusted source.

  3. Compare the address with the link you were sent.

  4. Watch for misspellings, unusual additions and misleading variations.

  5. Avoid signing in or paying through links sent by suspicious accounts or unsolicited messages.

A website using HTTPS and displaying a padlock indicates that the connection is encrypted. It does not prove that the business is legitimate. Scam websites can also use HTTPS.

3. Investigate the Seller's Identity

A trustworthy online store should provide enough information for customers to understand who they are buying from and how to contact the business if something goes wrong.

Look for details such as:

  • A consistent business name.

  • A working phone number or customer support channel.

  • A business email address.

  • A clear delivery location or operating address, where applicable.

  • Consistent information across its website and social media pages.

For Nigerian businesses, you can also check relevant registration details through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) where applicable.

However, a registration number or copied business address is not proof that the particular account contacting you is genuine. Scammers can impersonate real businesses.

If you find a legitimate company with the same name, contact it through independently verified channels to confirm that the website or social media account belongs to it.

4. Do Not Trust Customer Reviews Without Checking Them

Fake stores may display fabricated testimonials, copied customer photographs or screenshots of supposed successful deliveries.

A page filled with five-star reviews does not necessarily mean the seller is trustworthy.

Look for warning signs such as:

  • Many reviews posted within a short period.

  • Repeated phrases across different customer accounts.

  • Generic comments that do not describe the product.

  • Reviews that appear unrelated to the item being sold.

  • Customer complaints about non-delivery, blocked accounts or ignored refund requests.

Search for the store's name alongside words such as “scam,” “complaint,” “review” or “refund.” Check more than one source instead of relying entirely on testimonials published by the seller.

For social media stores, look at the history of the account, the quality of customer interactions and whether independent buyers provide credible evidence of receiving their orders.

No single review pattern proves fraud, but several warning signs together should make you cautious.

5. Watch Out for Pressure to Pay Immediately

Scammers often try to prevent customers from thinking carefully before making a payment.

They might claim that:

  • Only one item remains in stock.

  • The offer will disappear within minutes.

  • Other buyers are waiting to pay.

  • You must transfer money immediately to secure the product.

  • You will lose a special discount if you ask more questions.

Real businesses can have limited stock and genuine deadlines. The concern is when urgency is combined with evasive answers, suspicious payment instructions or a refusal to let you verify the seller.

Take a step back if a seller makes you feel that you cannot afford to check the offer. A legitimate purchase should give you reasonable time to understand what you are paying for.

6. Be Cautious When Asked to Transfer Money to a Personal Account

This is particularly important when shopping through Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or WhatsApp in Nigeria.

A seller may ask you to transfer money to an individual's bank account rather than pay through a recognised checkout system.

A personal account does not automatically mean the seller is fraudulent, especially for small businesses. However, it can make it harder to establish who received your money or resolve a dispute if the transaction goes wrong.

Be especially cautious if the seller:

  • Changes bank account details repeatedly.

  • Uses different names for the business and payment recipient without a reasonable explanation.

  • Refuses to provide an invoice or written order confirmation.

  • Insists on a transfer before answering basic questions.

  • Requests payment through unusual or difficult-to-reverse methods.

Where available, use a payment method that offers meaningful buyer protection. Check the actual terms before paying; not every transfer, card payment or payment service guarantees a refund if a seller disappears.

Never share your bank PIN, card PIN, one-time password (OTP) or banking password with a seller. A genuine merchant does not need these credentials to confirm your order.

7. Read the Delivery, Return and Refund Policies

A suspicious store may provide little information about delivery, returns or refunds—or promise that every problem will be resolved without explaining how.

Before paying, find out:

  • How long delivery is expected to take.

  • How much delivery costs.

  • Whether tracking information will be provided.

  • What happens if the item arrives damaged or differs from the description.

  • Whether returns or exchanges are permitted.

  • How refunds are requested and processed.

Be wary of policies that contradict one another or customer support that refuses to clarify them.

Save screenshots of the product description, advertised price, delivery promise and refund terms. Keep receipts and messages as evidence of what the seller agreed to provide.

8. Check Whether the Product Photos Are Genuine

Fake stores can copy product photographs from established retailers, manufacturers or legitimate social media sellers.

If you are unsure whether a seller actually has the item, use a reverse-image search tool to see whether the same photographs appear on unrelated websites or under different business names.

You can also ask the seller for additional photographs or a short video showing the specific item, particularly for expensive products.

For second-hand goods, you might request a photograph showing a detail you specify, provided doing so is reasonable and safe.

Copied photographs do not automatically prove fraud—legitimate retailers also use manufacturer images—but they should prompt further checks when combined with other warning signs.

9. Check What the Website Asks You to Enter

A checkout page should request information reasonably necessary to complete the purchase and payment.

Be cautious if a store asks you to provide your banking password, ATM PIN, OTP, or unrelated sensitive information.

Before entering your card details:

  • Confirm that you are on the intended website.

  • Check the payment provider and transaction amount.

  • Review the permissions or information requested.

  • Do not install unfamiliar apps or remote-access software just to complete an order.

  • Stop if the checkout redirects you to a suspicious page or asks for unexpected credentials.

If something feels wrong, close the page and reach the business through a verified contact channel rather than following another payment link sent by the seller.

What Should You Do If You Have Already Paid?

If you suspect that an online store has scammed you, act quickly.

  1. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately. Explain what happened and ask whether the transaction can be stopped, recalled or disputed. Recovery is not guaranteed.

  2. Preserve the evidence. Keep payment receipts, account details, website links, screenshots, order confirmations and conversations.

  3. Secure your accounts. If you entered passwords or sensitive credentials, change compromised passwords and contact your bank if financial information may be exposed.

  4. Report the account or store. Use the relevant social media platform's reporting tools and consider reporting the incident to the appropriate Nigerian authorities, including the police or the EFCC where applicable.

  5. Avoid recovery scams. Be suspicious of anyone who promises to recover your money for an upfront fee.

Do not send additional money simply because the seller claims it is needed to release your order or process a refund.

Final Thoughts

Shopping online can be convenient, but a professional-looking website, a large social media following and an attractive discount are not enough to prove that a store is genuine.

Before paying, verify the seller, examine independent reviews, check the payment method and understand the store's delivery and refund policies. If the seller pressures you to act quickly or refuses reasonable questions, pause and investigate.

Your safest purchase may be the one you decide not to make.

Have you ever encountered a suspicious online store? Share the warning sign that made you cautious without posting anyone's private banking or personal information.