"Unrecognised order on your account": the fake call or SMS to "cancel" it

"Unrecognised order on your account": the fake call or SMS to "cancel" it

"Hello, this is Jumia customer care. An iPhone 16 Pro worth ₦2.1 million has just been ordered on your account. If you did not place this order, press 1 or stay on the line to cancel it." Or an SMS: "Konga: your order #NG48291 has been confirmed. If it wasn't you, call this number." Sometimes it uses Amazon's name, for people who shop abroad. The goal is to make you panic about money you did not spend, and then, while "helping you cancel", get your card details, your OTP or remote access to your phone. The rule: if you are worried about an order, open the official app yourself; never act through the call or the number in the message.

How does this scam work?

1. The alarm. A call (often an automated voice) or an SMS mentions an expensive order, a subscription renewal or a suspicious payment on your account.
2. The "customer care agent". You press a key or call back and a friendly, professional person answers, already knowing your name.
3. The cancellation process. To "cancel the order" or "process your refund", they ask you to confirm your card details, read out an OTP, log into your bank app while they guide you, or install an app such as AnyDesk "so we can help you".
4. The theft. The OTP authorises a payment, not a refund. The remote access app lets them see your screen and your banking. Sometimes they say they "refunded too much" and ask you to send back the difference.
5. The follow-up. If it works, they come back as "your bank's fraud team" to "secure" your remaining money by moving it to a "safe account".

What are the warning signs?

• An order you never placed, announced by an unexpected call or SMS.
• An automated call asking you to press a key.
• A request for card details, OTP, PIN or bank login to cancel or refund.
• A request to install an app or share your screen.
• Pressure: "the order will ship in 30 minutes", "your card will be charged today".
• Payment or "refund" through transfers to a personal account, gift cards or crypto.
• The number shown on screen looks official. Caller ID can be faked.

What do I do right now if they call or the SMS arrives?

1. Hang up, or do not reply. Do not press any keys and do not call the number in the SMS.
2. Open the official app or website yourself (Jumia, Konga, Amazon or whichever shop), logging in as usual. Check your orders. If there is no unrecognised order, it was a scam.
3. If there is an order you do not recognise, cancel it from the app and contact customer care through the official channel shown inside the app or official website. Change your password.
4. Check your bank app for any charge you do not recognise.
5. Block and report the number in the spam numbers directory.

What if I've already given details or installed the app?

Do not blame yourself: the scammers use professional scripts. Act quickly:

1. If you installed a remote access app, disconnect the phone or computer from the internet and uninstall the app.
2. Call your bank now on the official number on your card or in its app. Ask them to block cards and internet banking if necessary and review recent transactions. Report any OTPs you shared.
3. Change your passwords from a device you trust: email first, then banking and the shopping account. Turn on two-step verification.
4. Do not send any "refund difference" and do not move money to a "safe account". No real bank or shop asks you to do that.
5. Keep evidence: the number, the time, the SMS, screenshots and any transaction references.
6. If your bank does not resolve your complaint, escalate to the Central Bank of Nigeria's consumer protection department.

Where do I report it and who can help me?

• The police, at a station or through the Nigeria Police Force's National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) e-reporting portal, with all the evidence.
• The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), if you lost money.
• The shop whose name was used, through its official customer care channel, so it can warn other customers.
• The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), if you have a genuine problem with an order and the business does not resolve it.
• NoCall, in the spam numbers directory.

Frequently asked questions

I do have an account with that shop. How did they know? They probably did not. They send the same message to thousands of people, knowing that many use the popular platforms. Sometimes your details come from a data leak.

The caller knew my name and the last digits of my card. Isn't that proof? No. Partial details circulate in data leaks. Knowing them proves nothing about who is calling.

Will Jumia, Konga or Amazon call me to cancel an order? Do not rely on unexpected calls. Check your orders and any problem inside the official app, and contact the shop through official channels you find yourself.

I only pressed 1 and hung up. Am I at risk? Usually not. You confirmed your number is active, so expect more calls. Do not answer them, and block the number.

In short

A call or SMS about an order you did not place is designed to scare you into "cancelling" it through them. Hang up, check your orders in the official app, never share codes or install apps, and if you already did, disconnect, call your bank and change your passwords. And report the number in the NoCall spam numbers directory.