Egidio
Security · Jiji Nigeria

Jiji scams: advance payment fraud and fake listings

A "buyer" who's already paid but never really sent the money, an intermediary posing as a seller to intercept both payment and goods: Jiji scams follow a few well-documented patterns. Here's how to spot them.

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The most common Jiji Nigeria scams

Most reported

The man-in-the-middle scam

A fake "seller" contacts a real buyer, collects payment, then separately contacts the real seller claiming to be a buyer and arranges for a courier to collect the item — which the real seller never gets paid for.

Financial

Advance payment fraud

A buyer or seller demands full payment upfront before delivery or before the item is even seen — a classic setup for the money and the item to both disappear.

Phishing

Fake bank transfer alerts

A "buyer" sends a fake SMS or screenshot that looks like a bank transfer alert, claiming payment has already gone through when it hasn't.

Identity

Fake listings using stolen photos

Photos and descriptions copied from real ads, posted under a different contact, to lure buyers with a price that's too good to be true.

Jiji.ng's own safety guidance officially recommends meeting in person, paying on delivery whenever possible, and treating any price that seems too good to be true as a warning sign. The platform has also issued alerts about fake job recruitment scams spreading via Telegram and WhatsApp under Jiji's name. On the wider financial fraud landscape in Nigeria, industry data from NIBSS puts total fraud losses at roughly ₦52.26 billion in 2024 — a figure covering electronic banking fraud nationally, not Jiji specifically, but useful context for why verifying every payment directly in your own banking app, rather than trusting a screenshot, matters when selling online.

How to spot a scam

What to do if you're targeted

  1. Always verify payment directly in your own banking app, never from a screenshot or SMS.
  2. Meet in person and inspect the item before paying, whenever possible.
  3. Prefer payment on delivery for high-value transactions.
  4. Report suspicious listings or contacts directly through Jiji's reporting tools.

How Egidio protects you

Egidio detects scam signals in notifications from over 180 apps — including the messaging apps scammers use to send fake payment confirmations — on top of calls and SMS, and warns you before you fall for a fraudulent transfer claim.

100% on your phone. Egidio analyzes notifications locally: it doesn't store your conversations and sends nothing to a server. No ads, no account required.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the man-in-the-middle scam on Jiji?

A fake "seller" collects payment from a real buyer, then separately contacts the real seller to arrange pickup by a courier — who takes the item without ever paying.

Should I trust a payment screenshot sent by a buyer?

No. Always confirm the payment directly in your own banking app before handing over an item.

Is it safe to pay in advance for an item on Jiji?

Jiji recommends paying on delivery or meeting in person whenever possible, and being wary of any price that seems too good to be true.

Does Egidio read my Jiji messages?

No. Egidio analyzes notifications on your phone to detect scam signals. It does not store your conversations.

Is Egidio free?

Call and SMS blocking are free, forever. Messaging protection and Family mode are included in the Premium version.