Online Safety Guide
Protect yourself — read before you buy, sell, or make contact
1. Always Meet in a Public Place
HIGH PRIORITYFor physical item exchanges, never meet at your home, alone, or in an isolated location. Choose a well-lit, busy public location such as:
If the seller insists you come to a remote location or their home before trust is established, decline the meeting. A genuine seller will have no problem meeting you in public.
2. Never Pay Before Inspecting
HIGH PRIORITYNever send money — EcoCash, bank transfer, PayPal, mobile money, or any other method — before seeing and verifying the item in person.
Common scam: A seller claims they are overseas or in another city and asks for a deposit so they can "courier" the item. This is almost always fraud. Legitimate sellers of physical goods will always arrange an in-person handover.
For property rentals and services, exercise extra caution. Always view the property in person before paying any deposit. Never pay rent to someone you have only communicated with via WhatsApp.
3. Verify Before You Commit
Before agreeing to a purchase or hire:
- Ask for multiple photos from different angles — a genuine seller is happy to provide them
- Request a short video of the item working (especially for electronics and vehicles)
- For vehicles, request registration documents and verify ownership with the vehicle licensing authority in your country
- For property, ask to see title deeds or a signed tenancy agreement before any payment
- Cross-check the seller's phone number — search it on WhatsApp to see if the profile is established
- Check how long the listing has been posted and whether the seller has other active listings
- If in doubt, bring a trusted friend or family member to inspect the item with you
4. Protect Your Personal Information
Keep the following private until you are fully confident about a transaction:
Warning: If anyone asks for your National ID "to verify your identity" before sending payment or goods, this is a red flag. Legitimate buyers and sellers have no reason to ask for your ID or banking credentials.
5. WhatsApp & Phone Safety
WhatsApp is widely used for marketplace communication across Africa. Use it carefully:
- Do not share your WhatsApp location with strangers until you have agreed to meet at a verified public place
- Be wary of "agents" who contact you claiming to represent a seller — always verify directly with the number listed on the platform
- Do not click unknown links sent over WhatsApp — these may be phishing pages designed to steal your EcoCash or banking login
- Screenshot all conversations related to a transaction in case of a dispute
- Never respond to messages pressuring you to "act now" or warning that an "offer expires in 1 hour" — this is a high-pressure scam tactic
- If a seller suddenly goes silent after receiving payment, take screenshots and report to local police immediately
6. Your Frican Account Security
- Use a strong, unique password
- Do not reuse passwords from banking or email accounts
- Change your password if you suspect someone else has accessed your account
- FCL staff will never ask for your password by phone, WhatsApp, or message
- If you forget your password, use the Forgot your password? link on the login page — a secure reset link is sent to your registered email
- The Platform will only email you a reset link when you request it. Any unsolicited reset email is a phishing attempt — do not click it
- Your phone number is your login credential — keep it accurate
- It appears on your listings so buyers can contact you via WhatsApp
- If your number changes, update your profile immediately
- Do not share your account password with anyone to "manage" your listings on your behalf
7. Frican New Business Connections — SSO Safety
Your Frican Continental Listings account gives you automatic access to Frican New Business Connections (FNBC) via Single Sign-On. Here is what to know:
- The only legitimate way to access FNBC via SSO is by clicking the Frican New Business Connections link in the FCL navigation bar while logged in. No link from any other source is legitimate.
- SSO tokens expire in 120 seconds and cannot be reused. If you receive a message or email claiming to give you "auto-login access" to FNBC, do not click it — this is a phishing attempt.
- Neither FCL nor FNBC staff will ever send you a login link via WhatsApp, SMS, or email.
- Your FNBC profile uses your real name from FCL. Keep your name accurate so business partners can trust who they are connecting with.
- Business conversations and partnership requests on FNBC are completely separate from your FCL listings activity.
- Only connect with and request conversations from individuals whose businesses you can independently verify.
8. Common Scams to Know
KNOW THESESeller claims to be in the UK, USA, or South Africa and will "ship" the item if you pay upfront. There is no item. There is no shipment. Once you pay, they disappear.
A well-priced property listing appears. The "landlord" cannot show you the property (always an excuse) but asks for a deposit via EcoCash to "secure" it. The property either does not exist or belongs to someone else entirely.
A "buyer" sends you more than the asking price "by mistake" and asks you to refund the difference. The original payment reverses or is fraudulent — you lose the refund amount.
A vehicle is listed at a suspiciously low price. The seller has the car but cannot transfer ownership because it is financed, on loan, or stolen. You pay and receive a vehicle you can never legally register.
A job listing asks you to pay a registration fee, uniform deposit, or training cost before starting. Genuine employers do not ask candidates to pay money to secure employment.
A service provider asks for full payment upfront before performing any work, then disappears. Agree on milestone payments or pay only upon delivery of work.
9. Reporting Suspicious Listings or Users
If you encounter a listing or user you believe is fraudulent or dangerous:
Go to the Contact page, describe the listing or user, and include the listing title or URL so we can locate it quickly.
If you have been defrauded, report to your local police service and the relevant consumer protection or telecommunications authority in your country. Keep all screenshots and transaction records.
We act on all credible reports promptly. Listings confirmed as fraudulent are removed and the user is permanently banned.
10. Trust Your Instincts
If something feels off about a listing, a seller, or a communication — walk away. Genuine deals do not require pressure, urgency, or secrecy. There will always be another listing.
You do not owe anyone a sale or a purchase. Your safety and financial security always come first.