Scams are common occurrences in today's world. The different types make it difficult to give the precise meaning of scams. Nationals and foreigners visiting Cameroon usually search for common fraud and scams to avoid in Cameroon.
Generally, any fraudulent activity is described as a scam. But on the other hand, scammers rely on these fraudulent activities or just plain dishonesty to make a living.
The internet introduced a new scamming level, with online scams among today's most popular scams. There are several scam websites and applications today.
Technology, as a whole, provides different platforms for scammers to swindle unsuspecting victims. Scams keep evolving because they become less profitable once people discover them. Scam alerts have become a thing where people warn each other about the latest scams.
Top 10 Types of Fraud And Scams To Avoid In Cameroon
Here are ten common types of fraud and scams to avoid in Cameroon:
- Mobile Money Scams
- Fake Rental Listings
- Prize Scam
- 'Money Doubling' Scam and Ponzi Schemes
- Street Scams
- Online Dating Scams
- WhatsApp Scams
- Property Investment Scams
- Identify Scams
- Online Shopping Scams
Let's discuss these scams in detail:
1. Mobile Money Scams
These are perhaps the most common scams in Cameroon today. Mtn Mobile Money and Orange Money are targeted because most Cameroonians use the service to transact money, and others even save on this mobile money transfer platform.
Scammers took notice of the millions in transactions that occur daily and saw an opportunity. Today, the most common Mobile Money scam is the message asking you to send money to "this number and not the other one."
There is also the typical "phone call from MTN or Orange" scam where the caller tricks people into giving up personal details, including ATM and sim card PIN numbers. This scam graduated from the message that looked as if someone had sent you money. A phone call often came after this message requesting you send the money back.
2. Fake Rental Listings
Scam Scammers will post advertisements for vacant houses online and in the newspapers. Once you call or visit their "office," they will claim that the house is in high demand and ask you to pay a security deposit to book the place. The prices are usually affordable, so most people will inquire about the listing.
They then give you a day to visit the house and a number to call. However, you discover no home, and the agent's office is vacant on the day.
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3. Prize Scam
This one also happens mostly via text, although sometimes these scammers send emails or call you. But, again, the point is to convince you that you won a prize from an ongoing competition and that you need to claim your reward.
The scammer then proceeds to ask for a processing fee which usually seems very little compared to the claimed prize.
In most cases, you did not even participate in the said competition, but they convinced you that you did. So watch out for these scammers; if you did not participate in anything, you should not buy into these lies.
4' 'MoneDoDoubling' Scam and Ponzi Schemes
This scam is the oldest trick in the book. The scammers promise people that they will double their money. The claim is that they make authentic money. But, once you take your money to them, they take your real money and give you fake money.
Suggested: Cameroon Closes Chymall Sairui Mall and other Money-Doubling Ponzi Schemes
5. Street Scams
These scams often happen in the streets of Douala and Yaoundé. Douala and Yaoundé are undoubtedly regarded as Cameroon's most dangerous and unsafe cities.
There is a popular 'looking fodidirections' move. One person will approach you, asking for directions. While you engage, this person is trying to help them, and a group appears. Sometimes they pretend to be the police looking to arrest the other person, and you get robbed amid this fracas. In other cases, the gang approaches you and goes directly to robbing you in broad daylight.
6. Online Dating Scams
There are two popular scams related to online dating. The popular one is where fraudsters sign up for dating sites and create attractive profiles. Then, you start talking to them, and it appears the two of you are in love or have a connection; they ask for money for one emergency or the other.
Sometimes they claim the money is for something important, while others claim to be stranded when you are supposed to meet, and you bail them out with cash.
The other scam involves local dating pages asking you to pay for a chance to date a foreigner. Then, they spend several people to share success stories and fake pictures.
Once you pay, they give you the number of the person you liked, a Cameroonian claiming to be a foreigner. You never meet this person because they keep changing stories. When you try to ask for a refund, the admin is unreachable.
7. WhatsApp Scams
This usually comes in the form of a link via WhatsApp. The sender claims that the link will update your WhatsApp and give you free services. The message asks you to forward the message to five other people for the free services to activate. The links always lead to unrelated pages that trick people into subscribing to expensive premium services.
Read: How To Protect and Recover Your WhatsApp Account
8. Property Investment Scams
Many Cameroonians are victims of these scams, especially in recent days. A company usually creates a persuasive presentation or advertisement that convinces people to invest in different real estate properties. In most cases, these properties are yet to be built. Then, the company asks for an enrollment fee, and in some cases, people proceed to make installments towards the purchase. After a while, the company disappears, and people discover that they have been swindled.
Read: Real Estate Business In Cameroon
9. Identity Scams
Scammers steal your ID card or passport and then use it to commit crimes. For example, some use lost IDs to register sim cards for fraudulent activities and other crimes. You then become liable for these crimes.
10. Online Shopping Scams
Online Shopping scams are popular with sites that include personal posts (e.g., Jumia). The scammer will pose as a seller, and they ask you to pay before they deliver the product.
In most cases, you never get the product or notice it is defective when you get it. Unfortunately, there are also cases where the seller robs the buyer when they meet.
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