How to buy and sell safely on Jiji in Nigeria

Jiji is the biggest classifieds platform in Nigeria, with millions of listings on any given day. Most users are honest people trying to buy and sell. Some are not. This guide covers safety from both sides: how to buy without getting scammed, and how to sell without getting scammed (yes, sellers get scammed too).

For Jiji buyers

Verify the listing is real

• Use the in app message system first, not WhatsApp. Jiji can see messages, scammers want you off platform fast.
• Reverse image search the product photos. If the same photos appear on Jumia, Konga or AliExpress, the seller likely does not have the item.
• Ask a specific question: "Can you take a fresh photo of the back of the box with today's date written on a piece of paper next to it?" A real seller will do this. A scammer will not.

Never pay without seeing or escrow

For low value items where you can meet in person (Lagos to Lagos, Abuja to Abuja), arrange a daytime meetup at a known location, inspect, pay on the spot.

For anything that requires shipping or is over ₦10,000 (HarrenaPay minimum escrow), use escrow. If the seller refuses, walk away.

Avoid "deals too sweet to be true"

A brand new iPhone 15 Pro listed for 400,000 Naira is not a deal, it is bait. Real prices cluster within a 20 percent band on any given week. Anything well below market is either stolen, broken, or a scam.

Be careful with "I will send my driver"

This is a known Jiji scam pattern. Buyer "pays" by fake alert, sends a "driver" to pick up. Always confirm credit in your actual bank app (not SMS, not email, the app's own balance), before releasing any item.

For Jiji sellers

The fake credit alert scam

This is the number one Jiji seller scam. Buyer agrees, sends a screenshot of "payment," sometimes a real looking SMS forwarded to you. You hand over the item. The credit never lands. Always check your bank app's actual balance. Screenshots and SMS forwards can be faked.

The chargeback after delivery scam

If you accept card payments directly, a buyer can pay, receive the item, then dispute the charge with their bank claiming "did not receive" or "not as described." You lose both the money and the item. Escrow with manual release prevents this because release is a conscious action by the buyer.

The "send sample first" scam

For bulk sellers, scammers ask for a free sample to "show their boss." You send. They disappear. Real B2B buyers pay for samples or use escrow to hold a small refundable deposit.

Sharing your address with strangers

If you are selling from home, be cautious about sharing your exact address. Use a nearby landmark, a logistics pickup point, or a public meetup. Some "buyer" enquiries are actually casing your house.

The single best fix for both sides: escrow

For any Jiji transaction above ₦10,000 (HarrenaPay minimum escrow), set the deal up in HarrenaPay before anyone moves:

• Buyer funds escrow, seller sees the money is real and locked.
• Seller ships, buyer inspects, buyer releases.
• No fake alerts, no chargebacks, no driver scams, no "did not receive" disputes.

A real Jiji buyer who is paying with their own money has no problem using escrow. A scammer has every problem with it, because the scam requires the money to land in their account immediately and irreversibly. The refusal to use escrow is the test.

What to do if you have been scammed on Jiji

• Report the listing inside Jiji immediately, before it is taken down.
• Screenshot the seller's profile, chat, and listing.
• File a chargeback with your bank if you paid by card.
• File a complaint with the EFCC and the FCCPC.
• Share the experience publicly (Twitter, Nairaland, Reddit r/Nigeria) so others avoid the seller.

The one mindset shift

Treat every first time Jiji interaction as a stranger transaction (because it is). Escrow is not paranoia, it is the standard for stranger commerce everywhere mature markets exist. Adopt the habit and Jiji becomes a much better marketplace for you.