The Phantom Shop: How Nairobi’s Online Retail Scams Are Evolving

A Nairobi-based professional narrowly avoided an online scam after attempting to buy a khaki half jacket from a TikTok shop.

The buyer, an investigative journalist, found the jacket on a TikTok page that appeared credible, with a large following and positive comments. After reviewing the page, she chose to arrange in-store collection rather than make an advance payment. The shop was listed as being located a short distance from her office.

On arrival, she was unable to reach the seller by phone. A nearby worker informed her that the shop did not exist and warned that others had been misled in the same way. He explained that several people had previously come looking for the same location, only to discover it was fraudulent. The buyer confirmed she had not transferred any money.

Later, she attempted to post a warning on the shop’s TikTok page, but her comment was blocked. This indicated that the operators had restricted negative feedback, allowing only favourable reviews to remain visible. The practice created a false impression of reliability and concealed complaints from other customers.

Scammers now use tactics such as filtering comments and fabricating engagement to appear legitimate. These measures make it more difficult for users to identify fraudulent activity through public feedback.

Consumers are advised to take precautionary steps when shopping online. Verifying a business’s history, reviewing feedback carefully, and confirming physical locations remain important checks. Some buyers also avoid making payments in advance unless dealing with established retailers, reducing the risk of financial loss.