{"id":267,"date":"2021-10-20T16:57:56","date_gmt":"2021-10-20T13:57:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/condala.com\/?p=267"},"modified":"2026-04-24T10:09:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T10:09:55","slug":"how-to-spot-an-online-shopping-scam-in-uganda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/how-to-spot-an-online-shopping-scam-in-uganda\/","title":{"rendered":"How to spot an online shopping scam in Uganda"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Here we have pulled together some straightforward checks you can use to tell out when an online retailer is legitimate or fake.<\/p>\n<p>Also read; <a class=\"wpp-post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/online-scams-in-uganda\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">Top 12 Online Scams in Uganda and How to Avoid Them<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/how-to-spot-an-online-shopping-scam-in-uganda\/#Internet_Shopping_Fraud_%E2%80%93_How_to_spot_an_online_shopping_scam_in_Uganda\" >Internet Shopping Fraud &#8211; How to spot an online shopping scam in Uganda<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/how-to-spot-an-online-shopping-scam-in-uganda\/#1_Is_the_offer_too_good_to_be_true\" >1. Is the offer too good to be true?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/how-to-spot-an-online-shopping-scam-in-uganda\/#2_Browse_the_website_before_buying\" >2. Browse the website before buying<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/how-to-spot-an-online-shopping-scam-in-uganda\/#3_When_you_are_asked_to_send_delivery_fee\" >3. When you are asked to send delivery fee<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/how-to-spot-an-online-shopping-scam-in-uganda\/#4_When_you_are_asked_to_pay_via_unscure_payment_methods\" >4. When you are asked to pay via unscure payment methods<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/how-to-spot-an-online-shopping-scam-in-uganda\/#5_The_site_is_not_secured_with_SSL_Certificate\" >5. The site is not secured with SSL Certificate<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/how-to-spot-an-online-shopping-scam-in-uganda\/#Final_Thought\" >Final Thought<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Internet_Shopping_Fraud_%E2%80%93_How_to_spot_an_online_shopping_scam_in_Uganda\"><\/span>Internet Shopping Fraud &#8211; How to spot an online shopping scam in Uganda<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Don\u2019t lose your hard earned money to online con artists, use these tips to identify and avoid fake and fraudulent websites or sellers.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Is_the_offer_too_good_to_be_true\"><\/span>1. Is the offer too good to be true?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Browse_the_website_before_buying\"><\/span>2. Browse the website before buying<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Take a couple of minutes to double-check the website. Read the information on their \u201cabout us\u201d page. Watch out for spelling and grammar mistakes or phrases that don\u2019t sound just right. This could mean the site was created by some fraudster within or outside Uganda looking to make quick money.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>If the website doesn\u2019t have a \u201cContact Us\u201d page, it could as well be a scam. If a site has a \u201cContact us\u201d page but only offers a form to submit queries, be wary as it can potentially be a dubious website.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>If the website provides none of this information, you should treat it as highly suspicious.<\/p>\n<p>Also read; <a title=\"How to Shop Online Like a Pro: 10 Expert Tips\" href=\"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/how-to-shop-online-like-a-pro-expert-tips\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">How to Shop Online Like a Pro: 10 Expert Tips<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_When_you_are_asked_to_send_delivery_fee\"><\/span>3. When you are asked to send delivery fee<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_When_you_are_asked_to_pay_via_unscure_payment_methods\"><\/span>4. When you are asked to pay via unscure payment methods<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Alarm bells should ring if the seller asks you to pay for something online via unsecure payment options like bank transfer, <a title=\"MoneyGram\" href=\"https:\/\/moneygram.ug\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MoneyGram<\/a>, Western Union or Bitcoin. Scammers prefer using such payment methods because they are easy for them to manipulate and cannot be easily traced.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_The_site_is_not_secured_with_SSL_Certificate\"><\/span>5. The site is not secured with SSL Certificate<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>That padlock symbol next to a website&#8217;s URL means the site is encrypted, and what you do on it such as browsing or making payments can&#8217;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&#8217;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&#8217;t always mean a website is safe. Checking for the SSL certificate should always be combined with the other checks we have recommended.<\/p>\n<p>Also read; <a title=\"5 Ways to Shop More Securely Online in Uganda\" href=\"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/5-ways-to-shop-more-securely-online-in-uganda\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">5 Ways to Shop More Securely Online in Uganda<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thought\"><\/span><strong>Final Thought<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>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\u2019t right with a seller or store.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":268,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-267","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-guides"},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1094,"href":"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267\/revisions\/1094"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/condala.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}