Buyer Protection

BUYER PROTECTION

SCAM ADS

The vast majority of all classified transactions are genuine, especially where many of the transactions take place face-to-face. However, occasionally our customers might be targeted by scams. When you buy anything online, be smart. Make sure you check… price comparison websites and different search engines to get the best deal, the name and full address of the seller and the Terms and Conditions.

These scams can be avoided if you know what to look out for. Please read the below to get a better understanding of the risks and the ways to protect yourself.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Meeting the buyer

Most private advertisers sell their goods from home. For personal ease and safety, always ensure that there is a friend with you before you allow someone into your home.

Meeting the seller

We would always recommend meeting sellers at their home address where the item for sale is situated. This is particularly useful when buying a larger more expensive item e.g. a car. Also take the opportunity if applicable to see the item working.

Valuable items

When selling valuable items – such as a car – you should ask for a personal cheque to be cleared before you part with your goods, and offer a receipt as proof of purchase.

Accepting money

For items that are worth only a few pounds, it‘s easier and more convenient to pay in cash. To be safe, when you go to visit the person selling the item you are interested in, don‘t take more money than you are planning on spending.

Buy Now Kenya recommends that buyers NEVER send goods before receiving money.

I‘ve sent the advertiser my money but he has not sent the goods.

Unfortunately, we are unable to interfere in the private transactions between a buyer and a seller.

The advertiser wants me to send cash up front – what should I do?

Don‘t do it. Buy Now Kenya recommends that buyers NEVER send cash or cheques through the post, or place money directly into a seller‘s bank account, in advance of receiving goods.

Buyer beware!

Once you have bought an item from a private seller, you have no legal comeback if it turns out to be faulty. Therefore, check the goods thoroughly before handing over the money. If the seller still has the receipts, or a warranty, so much the better.

Keep records

If travel is involved in the transaction, always remember to write down the contact details of the people you are visiting, or the people who are visiting you. If, for whatever reason, you are unable to make the appointment, notify them in advance. If you are travelling to view or deliver an item contact the other party first to check they will be available..

HOW TO SPOT SCAM ADS & SCAM RESPONSES

Look out for:

  • Adverts that contain very poor grammar / spelling errors.
  • Anyone requesting money in advance of you receiving the goods or viewing/ moving in to a property.
  • Anyone who says they are in a different town / area of the country than the location entered on the advert.
  • Anyone offering expensive items for free, or at a discounted rate, on the condition that you pay large sums of money to cover travel, postage or courier costs.
  • Anyone offering to buy your item for a higher cost than you are advertising it at to include shipping to them.
  • Anyone asking you to remove your item. Anyone offering something that seems too good to be true i.e. brand new IPhone X at Kshs. 45,000. Anyone who wants payment via MoneyGram or Western Union.
  • Anyone who only corresponds by email and is unavailable by phone.

Remember: if you spot a scam advert or become a victim of a scam, please report it.

If you think you have spotted a scam advert on our website, you can alert our Customer Services. Please be aware that the investigation process may take over 24 hours. To report a scam that has resulted in you being targeted or losing money, please follow the Report a Scam procedure outlined below.

KNOWN SCAMS TARGETING SELLERS

Overpayment Scam

Be wary of:
Anyone ‘accidentally‘ paying more than the item is worth, either by cheque or bankers draft.
If you are contacted by someone who offers to buy an item from you, and then you receive a cheque or banker‘s draft for more than the item is worth, you may be being targeted by an Overpayment scam. Victims are requested to cash the more expensive cheque or bankers draft and then send the bought item along with the extra money to the buyer. The original cheque duly bounces and victims lose the item and their money. If you receive a cheque/bankers draft with an overpayment please do not cash it, instead hand it in to the police immediately.

Western Unions or Moneygram scams

Be wary of:
Anyone asking to complete the transaction using either Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment systems are not designed to be used by strangers, rather they are for exchanging money between people who know each other. The most common example of scams using either of these payment methods involve the scammer asking the victim to prove they have the necessary funds to complete the transaction by paying money to a friend or relative using one of these services and then showing them the receipt (as proof that the funds are available). All the scammer needs is the tracking number from the receipt to pose as the victim‘s friend or relative and claim the money.

HOW TO REPORT A SCAM

If you believe you are being targeted by a scam then please email Buy Now Kenya customer care. You should also contact the Police and try to warn others about the scammer via Crime Watch Kenya. Buy Now Kenya is unable to contact police on your behalf, so you will need to contact them directly.

Contacting the Police

Before you go to the police, you should make 100% sure that this is an incidence of fraud by ensuring that you are not simply dealing with a seller or buyer who is either slow at sending an item / money or poor at keeping in contact. We always encourage our customers to try to resolve the issue with the seller or buyer directly before involving the police.

Is it a crime or a civil dispute?

Upon reporting your case to the police, they will decide if it should be investigated as a crime of if the incident is a civil dispute which should be settled in the county (small claims) court. In order for you to recover your losses through the small claims court you will need the name and address of the other party. A police officer will be able to guide you through this process. For more information please refer to Criminal Investigation Department.

Making a police report

To report a crime to the police you can either go to your local police station, call the local police operator on a non-emergency number or some forces have an online crime reporting system. To find more information on your local police force and how to contact them, please refer to http://www.kenyapolice.go.ke/

What evidence do I need?

Buy Now Kenya cannot release personal details of advertisers to the general public due to the Data Protection Act. The Police will provide us with the necessary documentation to release this information directly to them.

Reporting a Scam

You can report a scam here or warn others via Crime Watch Kenya

With the following details:

The name and address of the trader / individual who was responsible for the scam.

The date / details of the scam.

Details of any payments made.

Your details.

Buy Now Kenya cannot release personal details of advertisers to the general public due to the Data Protection Act. Criminal Investigation Department will provide us with the necessary documentation to release this information directly to them.

Can Buyer Beware Kenya help me with advice?

Yes, Buyer Beware also provides clear and practical advice help people deal with scams. Other pages to look report scams are Crime Watch Kenya

ILLEGAL ADS

How do I report an advert which may be illegal or abusive?

You can contact us if you note any suspicious ad on our website. The information you provide will help our customer services team decide the legality of the advert.

Can you remove an advert for an illegal item?

As and when we can establish the illegality of an advert appearing on www.buy-now.co.ke we will remove the advert and put steps in place to ensure that it doesn‘t appear again.

STOLEN GOODS

I think these goods may be stolen

If you have reason to believe that items purchased Buy Now Kenya were stolen, please contact your local Police.

An item stolen from me has appeared in Buy Now Kenya pages

If you have reason to believe that items stolen from you have appeared in Buy Now Kenya Pages, please contact your local Police. You‘ll find contact details for your area in the local phone book or online and the Police will be able to advise you on the correct course of action to employ. You can also email Buy Now Kenya Customer Services.

Be assured that your confidentiality would be guaranteed by law under the Data Protection Act (1988).

 

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