How to stay safe when meeting someone from an online listing in Ghana

Buying, selling or giving things away online means, sooner or later, meeting a stranger. The vast majority of these meetings are completely uneventful. The few that go wrong tend to go wrong in the same handful of ways — and once you know them, they are easy to avoid.

This guide covers how to stay safe when meeting someone from an online listing in Ghana: what to do before you meet, where to meet, the scams to watch for, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Before you meet

• Keep the conversation on the platform at first. Messages inside the app leave a record, and you do not have to share your phone number until you are comfortable.
• Look at the person's profile. How long have they been a member? On Givny, members who have confirmed their identity with a Ghana Card show a verified badge.
• Check the item. Make sure the photos and description make sense. If something is unclear, ask before you travel.
• Agree the time and place in writing, so there is no confusion on the day.
• Share only what you need to. A nearby landmark is enough to arrange a first meeting. You can give your exact address later, once you are comfortable.

Where to meet

Choose somewhere public and busy, in daylight. Good options include:

• A busy filling station forecourt
• The entrance of a mall or supermarket
• Outside a bank, a pharmacy or a busy shop
• A community centre or church compound

For furniture and other large items, a meeting at someone's home is sometimes unavoidable. In that case:

• Have someone with you.
• Bring the item to the gate rather than inviting the collector inside, if you can.
• Tell someone else when the collection is happening.

Where it is practical, a courier can collect and deliver the item so that you do not have to meet at all.

Bring someone, and tell someone

Bring a friend if you can. If you are going alone, tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back, and share your live location with them on WhatsApp for the duration of the meeting.

The scams to know about

The "delivery fee" for a free item

Someone offers you something for free, then asks you to send money by mobile money for delivery, transport or "processing". Once you pay, they disappear.

On Givny, everything is free and Givny never handles money. Nobody should ever ask you for a deposit, a delivery fee or any other payment to receive a free item. If they do, it is a scam — stop the conversation and report it. Our guide on where to get free stuff in Ghana covers how genuine giveaways work.

The fake mobile money alert

When selling, a buyer may show you, or send you, a text message saying "you have received GHS 500". The message is fake, and no money has arrived.

Never rely on an SMS alone. Check your actual balance by dialling your network's official mobile money code — for MTN MoMo, that is *170# — before you hand anything over.

The "wrong transfer" reversal

Someone claims they sent money to your number by mistake and asks you to send it back. Often no money was sent at all, or the original transfer will itself be reversed later. Do not send anything. Tell them to contact their network, which can investigate.

Requests for your PIN or a code

No legitimate buyer, seller or giver ever needs your mobile money PIN, or a code that has been sent to your phone. Anyone who asks for either is trying to access your account.

Requests for your Ghana Card

Never send photos of your Ghana Card, passport or other ID to an individual on WhatsApp. On Givny, identity verification happens inside the app and is never handled through private messages.

The listing that is too good to be true

A brand-new phone, free or at a fraction of its price, from an account created yesterday. Treat it with suspicion.

At the meeting

• Check the item before any money changes hands, if you are buying.
• Do not hand over an item until payment has actually arrived in your balance, if you are selling.
• Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, you do not owe anyone an explanation. Leave.

If something goes wrong

• Report the person on the platform where you met them. On Givny, you can contact us about any member or listing.
• If you have lost money, call your mobile money provider immediately. The sooner you report it, the better the chance they can act.
• Report fraud to the police, and cybercrime to the Cyber Security Authority.

Read the full Givny safety guide for more on meeting up, protecting your information and reporting problems.

Frequently asked questions

Should I pay a delivery fee for a free item?

No. A genuine giver never needs money from you before you have the item. On Givny, nothing is ever paid — any request for a fee or deposit is a scam.

Is it safe to give my phone number to someone from a listing?

It is safer to keep the conversation in the app until you are comfortable. Once you are, sharing a number to coordinate a pickup is normal. Never share your PIN or any code sent to your phone.

What should I do if I have been scammed on mobile money?

Call your mobile money provider straight away, report the matter to the police, and report the person on the platform where you met them.

Is it safe to let someone come to my house to collect furniture?

It can be, with precautions. Have someone else at home, bring the item to the gate if you can, and let a friend know when the collection is happening.

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Givny is free, always. See what people near you are giving away, and read the safety guide before your first handover.