Take time to confirm who you are dealing with and what you are buying. A business profile or saved payment link is not a verified-seller badge.
Before paying a seller
- Read the full listing and ask for missing specifications, photos, availability and the complete price.
- Check the business name and contact information independently where possible. Be cautious about unusual urgency or an unexplained change of payment recipient.
- Check the website address and the business name on the payment page. MarketLane supports seller links for PayFast and Paystack, but does not verify the seller’s identity or the gateway page’s total.
- Stop if the item, currency or amount does not match the agreement. Contact the business through the contact details you previously checked.
- Keep the listing, messages, receipt and delivery agreement. There is no MarketLane escrow or buyer-protection programme.
Keep sensitive information private
- Do not send card numbers, card security codes, bank passwords, banking OTPs or payment API keys through listings, email or WhatsApp.
- Only enter payment details on the payment provider’s genuine checkout. Never approve a banking prompt you did not initiate.
- Share only the personal details needed for the purchase or delivery. Avoid putting ID documents, home addresses or customer records in product photos.
- Access your gateway account through its official website instead of an unexpected message asking you to log in.
For sellers: confirm payment independently
Check your own gateway dashboard before dispatching or handing over goods. A screenshot, SMS or forwarded receipt can be altered. Confirm the amount and transaction reference against the actual transaction.
Be cautious about requests to refund an alleged overpayment to a different person or bank account. Confirm the original transaction and follow your gateway’s refund process. Do not pay a stranger a “release fee” to receive a customer payment.
If something seems wrong
Stop and keep evidence
Do not make another payment. Save the listing, payment-page address, messages, business details and transaction references.
Contact the right organisation
For a payment you do not recognise or suspected fraud, contact your bank or payment provider promptly using its official contact details. Report suspected criminal conduct to the police where appropriate.
Raise a purchase complaint
For a product or delivery dispute, contact the seller in writing. If it remains unresolved, consider the relevant consumer dispute process.