Safety centre
Draft · last updated 4 November 2026
Draft: we’re still checking this page before MarketSafe opens to the public.
Keep the chat on MarketSafe
Contact details are hidden here, and there’s a record if something goes wrong.
See it before you pay
Meet in a busy public place and check the item properly first.
Pay at hand-over
Cash, or an instant EFT the seller sees in their own banking app. Never a deposit.
Tips for buyers
- Read the whole listing and look at every photo. Ask the seller in the chat about anything that isn’t clear.
- Look at the seller on the listing: are they ID-verified, and how long have they been a member?
- Compare the price with similar listings. A price far below normal is a warning sign.
- Check the item properly before you pay: switch electronics on, check that serial numbers match, and look for damage.
- Pay only at hand-over, in cash or by an instant EFT. Never pay a deposit.
Tips for sellers
- Only hand over the item once the money is in your account. Check your own banking app, not a screenshot, SMS or email. If it isn’t showing yet, wait, or ask for cash.
- Never share your banking login, PIN or a one-time PIN. You never need them to receive money.
- Don’t accept more than your price, and never refund an “overpayment”.
- If a buyer collects a big item from your home, make sure someone else is there, and keep it near the door if you can.
- Be wary of buyers who won’t meet, or who want to send a courier and ask you to pay a fee.
Common scams and how to spot them
Most scams follow a few patterns. If you spot one, stop and report the listing.
Fake proof of payment
A buyer shows or sends a screenshot, SMS or email saying the money is on its way. These are easy to fake.
What to do: Sellers: only hand over the item once the money shows in your own banking app.
A deposit to “hold” it
The seller says lots of people want the item and asks for a deposit to keep it for you. Then they disappear.
What to do: Never pay anything before you’ve seen the item.
“Let’s chat on WhatsApp”
Someone pushes to move the chat off MarketSafe, where contact details aren’t hidden and there’s no record of what was agreed.
What to do: Keep chatting here, and report anyone who keeps pushing.
Overpayment and a refund
A buyer “accidentally” pays too much, often with fake proof, and asks you to send back the difference.
What to do: Don’t send money back. Check your own banking app, and if extra money really arrived, ask your bank to return it.
Fake payment links
You get a link to “receive your payment” or to pay through MarketSafe. The page steals your card or bank details.
What to do: MarketSafe doesn’t take payments yet, so a link like this is fake. You never have to pay or log in to receive money.
Courier agents and upfront fees
A seller far away offers to courier the item, or a “courier agent” contacts you, asking for a delivery, insurance or clearance fee first. The item never arrives.
What to do: Don’t pay any fee upfront. For now, collect in person.
Asking for a code
Someone asks for “the code we just sent you” to verify you or release a payment. That code can let them into your bank account or your WhatsApp.
What to do: Never share a one-time PIN or password. MarketSafe only ever asks you to type a code into MarketSafe itself, never to tell it to anyone.
Too good to be true
A popular item at a price far below normal, to get you to act fast before you think it through.
What to do: Our checks hold listings like this for review, but still be careful. Ask questions, and never pay before you’ve seen it.
Meeting safely
- Meet in a busy public place in daylight, such as a shopping centre with security guards and cameras.
- Tell a friend or family member where you’re going, who you’re meeting and when you’ll be back.
- Take someone with you, especially for expensive items or if you’re going to someone’s home.
- Agree on the price and what’s included in the chat before you meet, so there’s a record.
- Keep your phone charged, and don’t carry more cash than you need.
- If the other person changes the plan at the last minute, or something feels wrong, leave.
If something goes wrong
- Stop. Don’t send any more money, and don’t hand over the item.
- Report it on MarketSafe. On the listing, tap “Report this listing”, and keep the chat: it’s your record. What happens to a report
- Call your bank’s fraud line straight away if you paid by card or EFT, or shared any banking details. The number is on the back of your card and in your banking app.
- Report it to SAPS. If you’re in danger, call 10111. To report fraud, open a case at your nearest police station and take the chat and payment details with you.
- If your ID number or ID document was misused, ask the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) for free protective registration, which warns lenders to take extra care.