Safety & Fraud Guidelines

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Most people on Saamman are trying to sell a phone, a bike, or a sofa. A few are not. These tips are the same ones we would give a cousin before they went to meet a stranger from an ad.

Saamman does not hold the money for the deal. If you send cash to a stranger, we cannot get it back. We can take the ad down and, if you report it, look at the account.

Money and payment scams

The patterns we see again and again:

• “Pay the courier first.” There is no courier. The listing was never going to ship.
• “Send a token to book it.” The item is listed at a dream price. After the token, the seller vanishes.
• “I am abroad, my nephew will collect.” Then they ask you to pay into a personal wallet.
• A price that is far below the market for a new iPhone, a plot in DHA, or a brand-new car. If it looks too cheap, it usually is.

Pay when you are standing in front of the item, after you have checked it. Cash in a public place is still the safest option for most classified deals in Pakistan.

Meeting in person

• Pick a mall, a busy market, or a well-lit petrol station — not a side street at 11 pm
• Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back
• Take a friend if the item is expensive (a car, a laptop, jewellery)
• Do not get into a stranger’s car “just to see the engine”
• Sellers: meet where you are comfortable too. You do not have to invite a buyer home

If the other person refuses every public meeting and insists you send money first, end the conversation.

Phones and electronics

• Check the IMEI. Dial *#06# and match it to the box and to PTA’s status if you can
• A “PTA approved” claim in the ad is not proof. Confirm it
• Turn the device on. Test the cameras, charging, SIM, and fingerprint or face unlock
• Factory reset it in front of you so the seller’s iCloud or Google account is gone
• Be careful with phones that “need to stay on this SIM” or cannot be checked in a shop

Cars and bikes

• Match the registration book, chassis number, and engine number to the vehicle in front of you
• Ask for original papers, not only photos on a phone
• A mechanic’s inspection is cheaper than a hidden accident
• Do not transfer money before the name transfer process is actually underway
• Number plates that look freshly made, or a book that does not match the car, are a reason to walk away

Property

• Visit the plot or house. Photos of someone else’s listing are common
• Do not pay a token to a person you met only on chat
• Check ownership papers with someone who knows local property, not only with the seller
• Be extra careful with “overseas owner, nephew will take the token”
• Rentals: see the place, agree the rent in writing, and never send a deposit to a random wallet

Chat, OTPs, and fake staff

Saamman staff will not ask you for your password, your 2FA code, or a JazzCash PIN. We will not message you on WhatsApp from a personal number claiming your ad will be deleted unless you pay.

• Keep the first messages on Saamman chat so there is a record
• Never read out an SMS code to anyone, including someone who “works at the bank”
• If a profile feels off — new account, stolen photos, pressure to move off the site immediately — slow down
• You can report a user from the chat screen