Picture used for Illustration purposes Credit: Chatgpt

On a seemingly ordinary morning, Taofeek Lawal transferred N100,000 to an online declutter vendor in exchange for an L-shaped couch, unaware he was about to be scammed. Had he foreseen the deception, he would have chosen a safer way to spend his hard-earned money. 

Similarly, Chidozie (name withheld for security reasons) lost N400,000 to a fraudulent online declutter page while trying to buy a six-seater sofa set, only to discover it was a scam. These deceitful vendors operate scam declutter pages, quietly defrauding Nigerians of their savings. The trend has persisted for years but remains underreported, with government agencies, businesses, and financial regulators appearing to overlook the growing crisis.

The online declutter business emerged as a vital opportunity for young Nigerians seeking employment through e-commerce. It leverages social media to connect buyers and sellers of pre-owned gadgets, home appliances, and other items, locally referred to as “tokunbo.” Acting as intermediaries, these businesses facilitate transactions in a growing market. 

Nigeria’s economic downturn has eroded purchasing power. The country’s national minimum wage (₦70,000), yet to be enforced across all states, is insufficient to cover rising living costs. Most Nigerians earn ₦100,000 or less per month, and this limited purchasing power makes brand-new gadgets, appliances, and furniture unaffordable for many, driving them to patronise declutter pages offering second-hand goods. 

However, this thriving ecosystem is increasingly infiltrated by fraudsters posing as legitimate vendors. The scammers exploit unsuspecting buyers, eroding trust in the declutter industry and casting a shadow over its potential.

Genuine businesses Vs fraudulent schemes

Legitimate online declutter businesses in Nigeria operate by establishing virtual stores or leveraging social media accounts to showcase second-hand items for sale. Vendors post pictures or short video clips of goods, including prices and purchasing instructions, typically provided by owners seeking to sell their pre-owned gadgets, appliances, or other items. Sellers contact declutter vendors to list their items at an agreed price, with vendors often adding a discretionary commission to the listed price. To maximise exposure, owners frequently list the same items across multiple declutter platforms to expedite sales. 

When a buyer expresses interest, they are required to make a full upfront payment to demonstrate commitment. The vendor holds this payment in escrow, ensuring security for both parties. The buyer then arranges and covers the cost of delivery or shipping. Upon receiving the item, the buyer conducts a physical inspection. If satisfied, they notify the vendor, who transfers the payment to the seller and marks the item as sold. If the buyer is dissatisfied, they return the item to the seller, and the fee is refunded—a streamlined and transparent process when executed by legitimate vendors.

Fraudulent declutter pages closely mimic the operations of legitimate vendors, replicating their processes to deceive unsuspecting buyers. 

The scammers post items they do not have for sale on social media or online platforms, with prices and purchasing instructions, luring victims into making full upfront payments. The scammers disappear once the payment is received, cutting off communication and often blocking the buyer on all platforms. Some go further by changing their business name or deactivating accounts, often after being exposed or reported, only to reemerge under new identities to perpetuate their schemes. The listed items remain active, poised to trap the next victim. This cycle of deception leaves buyers financially and emotionally devastated, with limited avenues for recourse or justice.

Following reports of online declutter scams, DUBAWA contacted three individuals who had recently fallen victim to fraudulent vendors, as identified through complaints on platforms such as X and Instagram in 2025.

Victims Recount Losses

David Eyo, a meticulous finance professional from Lagos, recounted how he fell victim to a scam on a declutter page on June 26, 2025. The page, operating under the name We Sell House Items, had advertised a sleek laptop,  the kind that Eyo had been eyeing for work, which he was interested in purchasing.

The price, ₦350,000, seemed fair for a barely-used device, and the vibrant photos and glowing reviews painted a picture of a trustworthy seller. 

After agreeing on terms, David made a payment of ₦350,000. The price, ₦350,000, seemed fair for a barely-used device, and the vibrant photos and glowing reviews painted a picture of a trustworthy seller.

Excited, David messaged the account, and a quick, friendly response sealed his confidence. They agreed on the terms, and with a mix of anticipation, trust and caution, David transferred the payment to the provided bank account, dreaming of the productivity boost the laptop would bring. 

Hours passed, but the laptop never arrived. David’s messages to We Sell House Items went unanswered, communication ceased. The page stopped responding to his messages and subsequently blocked him.  A cold realization hit David, he had been scammed. 

Refusing to accept defeat, he contacted his bank, his voice steady but laced with frustration as he explained the ordeal. The bank’s investigation revealed the recipient account was a known channel for fraud, a digital black hole swallowing the funds of unsuspecting buyers. Determined to fight back, David sought justice through the legal system. Armed with a court order, he pushed for the receiving bank to freeze the fraudulent account, a small victory that offered a glimmer of hope.

Efforts by DUBAWA to reach the Instagram account were unsuccessful. Whenever you click the link, it opens Instagram, but flags it as “user not found,” indicating that the account has been deactivated or deleted. 

Despite reporting the incident to his bank and obtaining a police report, David Eyo had not yet escalated the case to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). “It’s painful,” he confessed to DUBAWA, his voice heavy with regret. 

The scam had not only drained his savings but also shaken his faith in the digital marketplace. Yet David’s resolve hardened; he had no choice but to move forward, vowing to be more vigilant if he were ever buying a barely used item again, a lesson forged in the sting of declutter betrayal.

Chidozie (not his real name), a Lagos-based entrepreneur, told DUBAWA how he lost ₦400,000 to a fraudulent Instagram declutter page, Declutter Arena. His wife convinced him to purchase a set of six-seater sofas advertised on the page, so Chidozie proceeded with the transaction after receiving reassurances from the vendor.

On Friday, July 4, 2025, he transferred the agreed payment of ₦400,000. However, the page stopped responding to his messages the following day. His attempts to call, message, or contact the vendor were futile, as it seemed he had been blocked across all communication channels. 

Despite being a relatively successful businessman, Chidozie understands the struggle to earn money and values every kobo in today’s tough economy, where he believes everyone is fighting to survive. He says, “what if it happened to someone who’s worse off than me? What will they do”? He tries not to dwell on his financial loss or blame his wife, who initially pointed him to the declutter page. However, Chidozie has abandoned hope of recovering his money, citing the slow, cumbersome process and the high costs of pursuing it. He also lacks confidence in law enforcement agencies to help get his money back.

When DUBAWA investigated the “Declutter Arena” page, it was still active and advertising the same set of sofas Chidozie had already paid for. 

Upon inquiry, the vendor confirmed that the sofas were “still available” and provided repeated assurances regarding payment safety. The page even shared fresh account details, seemingly ready to scam another unsuspecting buyer.

DUBAWA observed that the account details provided during its investigation differed from those given to Chidozie, indicating a deliberate effort to mislead and exploit victims. Additionally, checking the page’s about section showed it had changed usernames eight times — a common red flag.

Furthermore, an X user with the handle Gibs @MinisterInyang claimed Declutter Arena defrauded him of #354,000 after failing to deliver a bed frame he paid for.

DUBAWA conducted a Facebook name search using the name of the Declutter Arena page’s proprietor, Chidubem Victor Uchendu. We found an account named Uchenna Juliet Udezue, which posted a video reel detailing her experience of being defrauded by Declutter Arena. She described the page’s fraudulent transactions and referenced other victims, cautioning Nigerians to steer clear of fraudsters like Declutter Arena.

In another case, Taofeek Lawal, an online business entrepreneur, was defrauded by an Instagram declutter page known as 2swiftdeclutter. On June 26 2025, Taofeek contacted the page to purchase an L-shaped couch.

To secure the transaction, he even drafted a legal agreement to ensure the safety of his payment. However, after concluding negotiations and making payment, the vendor stopped responding and blocked Taofeek on both Instagram and WhatsApp. When DUBAWA asked him what efforts he had expended to try to get his money back, he said, 

“I’ve reported the case to Opay (the platform I used for the transfer), and I’m currently filing complaints with consumer protection bodies, but I’ve not gotten any positive response from any of them. As of this moment, there’s nothing going on about the case.” 

Taofeek is one of many young Nigerians struggling to make a living in a very tough economy. This unfortunate experience hit him hard, he says, 

“It’s not just about the money, though ₦100,000 is a lot for someone like me, a small business owner trying to make ends meet. It’s the betrayal and helplessness that hit the hardest. This experience has truly taken a toll on me emotionally, mentally, and financially. Despite his financial losses, he remains determined to track down the fraudster and prevent them from scamming others.

DUBAWA’s investigation revealed that other victims had flagged 2swiftdeclutter for fraudulent activities. When we attempted to trace the page, it was no longer active and appeared to have been deactivated.

Statistical Trend Analysis

DUBAWA conducted a monitoring analysis using Meltwater, a media intelligence and social listening tool, from Aug. 16, 2024, to July 15, 2025, to track mentions of online declutter scams on X. The analysis revealed Nigeria as the top location for mentions of declutter scam pages, with 283 references, followed by the United States and several other countries.

The same Meltwater search result revealed that tweets complaining about fraud perpetrated by fake declutter accounts had a total reach of 12.7 million and a daily average of 38,000 reach. The data indicates a generally low and stable reach throughout most of the period, with a significant spike on Dec. 5, 2024, at 10:00 p.m., reaching 4,298 counts.

We prompted Julius AI, an open-source data analysis and data visualisation AI tool, to interpret the rest of the dataset generated from Meltwater.

Sentiment distribution analysis 

A sentiment analysis of data, derived from a Meltwater dataset using the search query “declutter scam vendors in Nigeria,” reveals a predominantly negative public perception. The chart, generated by Julius AI, indicates approximately 650-700 negative sentiments, 250-300 neutral sentiments, and 50-100 positive sentiments. 

Nigeria’s declutter marketplace has exploded on social media, Instagram shops, Telegram channels, and even WhatsApp “Declutter” groups, where sellers promise gently-used phones, fashion, and furniture at bargain prices. But the conversation scraped from Meltwater tells a darker tale. 

The bar chart shows a lopsided public mood: roughly 680 posts carry a negative tone, while neutral chatter sits at 275, and genuine praise barely registers at 75. In other words, for every positive remark about declutter vendors, nearly nine people are complaining or warning others as exemplified below.

For instance, X user, Robinaxog‘s tweet on scam declutter pages reads, “Please avoid @/declutterhomes on IG, they are scammers and you will just lose your hard-earned money.” Several comments that followed warned people against declutter scams.

There are also negative reviews about page. Ms.Aesthetician@remimilekun wrote “These ones too. @/ninahouseholdsales. Products on their pages are never indicated as sold. Their “review highlights” always have the same date. You can’t view comments on their page… Once you see all these, just run.”

Our findings suggest that poor implementation of e-commerce laws and lack of responsibility by social media platforms, such as Instagram, allows the scams to persist.

What does the law say about e-commerce and consumer protection? 

Are there laws that protect buyers on the declutter market platform? 

In Nigeria, laws like the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018, the Sale of Goods Act 1893, the Cybercrimes Act 2024, the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, and the Electronic Transactions Act protect market buyers from fraud, ensuring rights to accurate information, quality goods, refunds, and protection against unfair practices. 

These laws and agencies provide the legal framework available to consumers or buyers, such as Chidozie, David Eyo, and Taofeek Lawal. However, did they take advantage of this resource? Chidozie simply distrusts the process, isn’t willing to report, and sees it as a hassle.

The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) enforces these laws, with powers to fine or prosecute violators like these Instagram fraudulent declutter vendors, but enforcement relies on consumer awareness,  vigilance, proactive  reporting.

However, victims like Taofeek Lawal, who filed complaints with consumer protection bodies, report no positive responses, leaving his case stagnant. Chidozie has given up hope of recovering his money, is frustrated by the slow, costly process, and lacks confidence in law enforcement’s ability to assist. 

Similarly, David Eyo has not escalated his case to the FCCPC despite reporting it to his bank and obtaining a police report. He expressed deep regret and described the process as painful, highlighting buyers’ challenges in seeking justice.

In addition to buyers’ responsibility to be proactive, agencies must enforce cases like Taofeek’s when contacted.

Notwithstanding all of these, buyers are advised to verify sellers, use secure payment methods, and report fraud to the FCCPC, banks, or Nigeria Police Force cybercrime units to navigate these challenges.

DUBAWA attempted to contact the FCCPC through multiple channels, via email, phone, and social media, for comments, but all efforts to reach the agency were unsuccessful.

Transaction platforms in scam declutter discussions

According to Meltwater’s data, transaction platforms here refer to all platforms or brand names mentioned in the declutter conversations tracked by Meltwater, as noted in commenters’ tweets.

This chart reveals that Instagram is the dominant channel mentioned in Nigerian scam-related tweets, with nearly 200 mentions, about twice as many as every other platform combined. Point-of-sale (POS) payments come next, with around 80 mentions, indicating many victims pay on the spot rather than via regular bank transfer. Twitter/X, WhatsApp, and crypto each appear at much lower volumes, recording 30 and 24 mentions, respectively. 

Other transaction channels, including cryptocurrency, bank transfers, Opay, Moniepoint, and TikTok, appear with significantly lower mentions, each below 20. The findings suggest that Instagram is a leading platform where scams and fraudulent activities emanate from, are discussed, and are transacted.

Regional distribution analysis 

This chart analysis of Meltwater data reveals Lagos as the primary hotspot for negative conversations around declutter vendors, accounting for more than half of all tracked mentions nationwide.

Abuja (FCT) is the second most active location, with notable chatter also emerging from Oyo (Ibadan), Ogun, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, and Benin City. The data underscores Lagos as the epicentre of online complaints about declutter scams in Nigeria. This regional placement is equally evident, as the three victims DUBAWA spoke to are located in Lagos.

DUBAWA’s findings from Meltwater data show that most Nigerian scam-related conversations usually concentrate on X (formerly Twitter). Most posts are retweets or quote tweets, suggesting that the chatter is driven more by amplification than by original incident reporting.

The discussions are largely from everyday users rather than organised campaigns, indicating grassroots-level warnings about scams. Lagos emerges as the primary hub of complaints, with Abuja identified as the secondary centre for monitoring and intervention efforts.

DUBAWA conducted a cross-reference keyword search using the query “scam declutter pages” and uncovered numerous complaints from Nigerians, particularly on X and Instagram. These reports align with data captured through Meltwater’s media intelligence tool. These findings highlight the widespread concerns about fraudulent declutter vendors.

Conclusion 

Nigeria’s declutter market, once a haven for entrepreneurs and budget-conscious buyers, is now riddled with fraud, as evidenced by David Eyo (#350,000), Chidozie (400,000), and Taofeek Lawal (100,000) losing their savings to scams. DUBAWA’S investigation, supported by meltwater data, reveals 283 scam mentions on X with Lagos as the epicentre, and public sentiment is largely negative. Despite a robust legal framework, including the FCCPA 2018, Cybercrime Act 2024, Nigeria Data  Protection Act 2023, Sale of Goods Act 1893, and Electronics Transaction Act, it falls short. The Consumer Protection Council can fine and prosecute, but victims like David, who didn’t approach the FCCPC, and Chidozie, deterred by slow processes, Taofeek, who got no response despite reporting exposed gaps in practice. Scammers exploit this, reemerging under new identities. Collective action is urgent. Consumers/buyers must verify sellers, use secure payments and report fraud to the FCCPC, banks and cybercrime units. Regulations and platforms need stricter oversight to curb repeat offenders. Without intervention,  legitimate buyers and vendors risk losing trust in the digital marketplace, which demands immediate action to restore confidence.