Spotting fake buyers and avoiding chargebacks
The 6 red flags that almost always mean a fraudulent buyer. Learn them once, save yourself thousands.
4 min read Updated 2026-06-19
Red flags before payment
If two or more of these show up, slow down and verify.
- Buyer rushes the conversation ('I need it tonight, just send your account').
- Asks for items to be sent to a third party.
- Offers to overpay 'to cover delivery'.
- Sends a payment screenshot — never trust screenshots, always confirm in your own banking app.
Use Paystack or escrow for big-ticket items
For anything above ₦100,000, route the payment through Paystack invoice. The 1.5% fee is cheaper than one chargeback.