Online shopping scams in Uganda can be a major danger for people who love shopping on the internet. Cases of online fraud have been on the rise especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when more Ugandans embraced the online shopping trade.
Online shopping scammers in Uganda pretend to be legitimate online sellers. They create fake sites, apps and social media pages where they set up fake online stores.
It can be difficult to spot a fake, fraudulent or scam seller. Conmen are extremely cunning and are good at convincing unsuspecting victims who fall into their traps.
Here we have pulled together some straightforward checks you can use to tell out when an online retailer is legitimate or fake.
Also read; Top 12 Online Scams in Uganda and How to Avoid Them
Internet Shopping Fraud – How to spot an online shopping scam in Uganda
Don’t lose your hard earned money to online con artists, use these tips to identify and avoid fake and fraudulent websites or sellers.
1. Is the offer too good to be true?
If you an individual or website selling items at very low prices with discounts, you should be doubtful and suspicious. If the price of an item seems too good to be true, it is likely to be a scam. Scammers use incredibly low pricing strategy to lure the bargain-hungry shoppers, so they can quickly sell off counterfeit or non-existent products.
2. Browse the website before buying
Take a couple of minutes to double-check the website. Read the information on their “about us” page. Watch out for spelling and grammar mistakes or phrases that don’t sound just right. This could mean the site was created by some fraudster within or outside Uganda looking to make quick money.
Also check that the website lists their contact information such as address, phone number and custom email address (not Gmail). Legitimate online shopping companies in Uganda will always provide their contact details for customers to get in touch with them.
If the website doesn’t have a “Contact Us” page, it could as well be a scam. If a site has a “Contact us” page but only offers a form to submit queries, be wary as it can potentially be a dubious website.
Any legit company selling goods or services should list their place of business, as well as a telephone number or email address through which customers can contact them.
If the website provides none of this information, you should treat it as highly suspicious.
Also read; How to Shop Online Like a Pro: 10 Expert Tips
3. When you are asked to send delivery fee
If you connect with a seller on social media or on ecommerce classifieds sites like Jumia Deals or Jiji Uganda, and they ask you to send them delivery fee or pay for the item in advance before delivery, is red a flag that they seller is con artist. Never send delivery fee or pay for the item in advance before receiving the item.
4. When you are asked to pay via unscure payment methods
Alarm bells should ring if the seller asks you to pay for something online via unsecure payment options like bank transfer, MoneyGram, Western Union or Bitcoin. Scammers prefer using such payment methods because they are easy for them to manipulate and cannot be easily traced.
If it is an online store, only pay via mobile money or credit card if the store accepts payments within the app. Do not wire money directly. The transaction has to be initiated from within the website.
If you pay for an item outside a web store and item turns to be fake or nonexistent, you will not have rights to claim your money back.
5. The site is not secured with SSL Certificate
That padlock symbol next to a website’s URL means the site is encrypted, and what you do on it such as browsing or making payments can’t be intercepted by hackers. This is a protocol for safe website and most sites now have this feature. So if you notice a site you are trying to shop from doesn’t have one, it could be a red flag that it is a scam site. But again, even scammers are able to forge or buy these SSL certificates, so seeing one doesn’t always mean a website is safe. Checking for the SSL certificate should always be combined with the other checks we have recommended.
Also read; 5 Ways to Shop More Securely Online in Uganda
Final Thought
Hackers and scammers are constantly coming up with different ways to trick internet shoppers. When shopping online in Uganda, remember always to heed cybersecurity warnings, and be cautious when you sense something isn’t right with a seller or store.
