A mother of five from Madina, Zongo, in Ghana is seeking help after she says she paid for furniture advertised on TikTok that never arrived. The sellers she dealt with have since become unreachable, according to her account.
Her story aired on the Obra Show, a consumer-focused programme broadcast on Nhyira 104.5 FM and Adom TV and hosted by Ohemaa Benewaa. The team then contacted the same sellers themselves to test the claims, according to a report by Adomonline.com.
How the Alleged Scheme Unfolded
Madam Afizatu Alhassan, a widow, said she found an advertisement on TikTok from a business calling itself Master Jay Furniture. The sellers told her they were based in Koforidua and would deliver once she had paid.
She said she first asked to pay on delivery. Later, a young man called claiming to be at the Koforidua station with her order ready to send.
A Payment Request Framed as Transport Rules
A second person, presenting himself as a driver, then urged her to send the money to the station. He reportedly told her that transport union rules required payment before goods could be released.
Afizatu accepted the explanation and made the transfer. Two days later, she said, there was no furniture, and every phone number she had used to reach the sellers was no longer working.
Show Hosts Pose as Customers to Test the Claims
To check her account, host Ohemaa Benewaa and Evangelist DeGraft Addae presented themselves as a couple and reached out to the same business. They asked about buying a wardrobe, furniture, a shoe rack and several other items.
The sellers quoted GH¢2,800 for the order and asked for half of that amount upfront before they would arrange delivery. They also supplied a mobile money number for the payment.
A New Name on the Same Platform
According to the Obra team, the people behind the account went quiet for about a day after realising they had been exposed. They then reappeared on TikTok operating under a different name, Mr UK Furnitures.
The pattern points to a familiar challenge for social media platforms: accounts tied to alleged fraud can be abandoned and replaced quickly, making it harder for buyers to rely on a seller's history.
Support for the Victim and a Police Referral
The show's team gave Afizatu financial assistance to help with her situation. The programme also used the case to warn listeners and viewers about online shopping fraud.
It urged buyers to be cautious about deals that look unusually cheap and about misleading advertisements on social media. The Ghana Police Service has been contacted to investigate and to trace those responsible.
What the Case Signals for Social Commerce
TikTok has become an increasingly common place for small businesses to market products, which also makes it attractive to bad actors. Requests for advance payment through mobile money, combined with pressure from supposed third parties such as drivers, are warning signs buyers can watch for.
For legitimate sellers, cases like this erode trust in social commerce more broadly. Verifiable business details, clear delivery terms and payment-on-delivery options may become more important as customers grow wary of offers they cannot confirm.
Source: Adomonline.com
