Safety centre
NyumbaUG connects buyers and sellers — but the transaction itself happens in the real world. Use these practices to keep yourself safe.
Six rules of thumb
Always view a property in person before paying
If a seller refuses an in-person viewing or rushes you, treat it as a red flag. Bring a friend or family member when you visit.
Look for the verified badge
Listings with our verified badge have submitted ownership documents that NyumbaUG (or a partner lawyer for FULL tier) reviewed. Verification is a guide based on paperwork — it doesn't guarantee a clean title, the property's condition, or the outcome of any transaction. See below for the full breakdown of what we check and what we don't.
Don't send money to a stranger before viewing
No legitimate seller needs a deposit, application fee, or security charge before you've seen the property. Mobile-money cash transfers are unrecoverable — be especially cautious there.
Keep conversations on NyumbaUG when you can
In-app messages give us a record if anything goes wrong. WhatsApp and direct calls are fine, but a paper trail in our messaging system protects both sides.
Report scams immediately
If a listing or user seems fraudulent, hit the Report button. Our admins review reports daily and remove confirmed scams. You can also email hello@nyumbaug.com.
Verify phone numbers before deposits
Call the seller. If a number is dead or doesn't match the listing, walk away. A 30-second call has saved a lot of people a lot of money.
Red flags to watch for
- Price is dramatically below market
- "Owner is abroad" — keys arrive after a deposit
- Refusal to share the exact address until payment
- Pressure to pay today
- Photos look stock-image perfect or appear elsewhere online
- Phone number doesn't accept calls, only WhatsApp messages
What verification actually means
When you see a verified badge on a listing, here's exactly what was reviewed, who reviewed it, and — important — what NyumbaUG does not guarantee.
The green tick badge. Reviewed by independent partner lawyers — not the NyumbaUG admin team.(placeholder, pending legal review)
What we check
- Ownership documents (title deed, share certificate, sale agreement) match the seller's ID
- The address on the documents matches the listing
- The seller's contact details are real and reachable
The gold shield badge. Reviewed AND visited by a partner lawyer.
What we check
- Everything in BASIC, plus:
- A partner lawyer visits the property in person
- Utility records (water / power) are checked against the property address
- A public verification certificate (VRF-XXXXX) is issued — buyers can look it up at /verification/the-code
What verification does NOT guarantee
Verification is a documentation review — not legal advice and not an insurance policy. Even on a verified listing:
- We don't guarantee the title is free of disputes, caveats, or competing claims at the Lands Office.
- We don't guarantee the physical condition or structural soundness of the property.
- We don't hold money in escrow, validate transactions, or refund deposits if a deal falls through.
- We don't verify what happens after the badge is issued — a property's status can change at any time.
Do your own due diligence. Engage your own lawyer for the title search and the sale agreement, visit the property in person, and never pay anything before you have.
What the ID-verified badge means
The emerald shield with a tick that you may see next to a seller's name is a separate signal from the green property badge above. It is about the person, not the listing.
What we check
- A copy of the seller's government-issued National ID (NIN), matched against the name on the account.
- A short live-camera selfie checked for liveness — the person on the ID is the person submitting it, taken in real time, not a photo of a photo. We use a third-party liveness provider (Smile ID) for this check.
What it means
The seller's account is provably linked to a real, named person — nothing more. ID-verified does not mean we've reviewed their listings, that they own the properties they advertise, or that they have a good track record. Read the listing verification section above for property-level checks.
(placeholder, pending legal review)
Found a scam?
Reporting takes one click and helps the next person. Use the Report button on any listing or seller profile, or contact us directly.