Shortlet Scams in Nigeria: 10 Warning Signs

The clearest sign of a shortlet scam in Nigeria is pressure to pay by transfer, fast, before you have seen the flat or a full price in writing. Other signs are a price far below similar flats, photos that appear elsewhere, and a “caution fee” demanded first. Pay only when you can see the price, the house rules and the cancellation terms, and pay through a proper checkout or a business account with a receipt.

Most shortlet hosts are honest. This guide helps you spot the few who are not, before your money leaves your account.

Why shortlet scams work

Shortlet scams work because of how people book. The usual pattern looks like this:

• You book from far away. Many guests are abroad or in another state, so they cannot view the flat first.
• You are in a hurry. Busy dates such as December make people rush.
• Adverts are easy to copy. A scammer can take real photos from a real listing and post them as their own.
• Transfers are fast and final. Once money lands in a scammer’s account, it can be moved on within minutes.

Fake shortlets often follow one of a few stories:

• The copied advert. Someone who has never seen the flat reposts its photos and takes your money.
• The double let. One real flat is “sold” to several guests for the same dates, and only the first one gets in.
• The fake agent. A middleman asks for a “booking fee” or “inspection fee”, then stops answering.

Scams hit hosts too. A fake payment alert by text, or a doctored screenshot of a transfer, is a common trick. Hosts should check every payment in their own bank app before they hand over a key.

10 warning signs before you pay

1. Pressure to pay now.“Three people are asking for these dates. Pay in the next hour to hold it.” Real hosts can wait for you to check.
2. A name that does not match. The account you are asked to pay is in a different name from the host or the business.
3. “Caution fee first.”You are asked for a caution fee before the price, dates and rules are agreed, or the caution fee is “non-refundable”.
4. Always available. The flat is free on any date you name, even at Christmas, and there is no calendar or booking record.
5. Too cheap. The price is far below similar flats in the same area and size.
6. Borrowed photos. The same photos appear on other adverts under other names or in other cities.
7. No live video. The host will not show the flat on a live video call, or keeps making excuses.
8. Screenshot reviews. The only proof of happy guests is screenshots, a brand-new page, or comments that are switched off.
9. Nothing in writing. No full price, no house rules, no check-in time, no cancellation terms and no receipt.
10. The story changes after you pay.Suddenly there is “a diesel charge”, “a balance before the keys”, or a request for more money to process a refund.

One sign alone may have an innocent reason. Two or more together mean stop. Take your time and look at shortlets listed on Cabans instead.

Checking photos and the address

A few minutes of checking can save you a lot of money:

• Search the photos. Use a reverse image search, such as Google Lens, on two or three photos. If they appear under other names, walk away.
• Ask for a live video call. Ask the host to walk through each room and show the view from a window, the building entrance and the street.
• Check the area. Ask for the area and the estate, and look them up on a map. The view on the call should match.
• Ask a specific question.For example, “Which floor is it on, and is there a lift?” A real host answers straight away.
• Compare prices. Look at similar flats in the same area, such as shortlets in Lekki or Ikeja. A price far below the rest is a warning.

A real host may keep the exact house number private until you book. That is normal. They should still share the area and show you the flat live.

Paying safely

How you pay matters as much as who you pay. Follow these rules every time:

• Get the full price in writing first: nights, any cleaning fee, the caution deposit and the total.
• Get the terms in writing: check-in and check-out times, house rules, and the last day to cancel for a full refund.
• Pay through a proper checkout on a booking site, or to a business account in the business’s own name.
• Get a receipt that shows the dates, the flat and every amount paid, including the caution deposit.
• Never share a one-time password (OTP) or your card details in a chat.
• Check the website address before you pay online. Type it yourself, or open it from a search, rather than tapping a payment link sent in a chat. Fake payment pages can copy a real site’s look but not its address.
• Do not pay everything to a stranger’s personal account before you have checked the flat.

A caution deposit itself is normal. It is money held in case something is damaged, and it comes back after you leave, less any damage the host can show. What is not normal is being asked for it first, on its own, to “secure” a flat.

On Cabans, a shortlet that takes online bookings is paid securely online through Paystack, never by transfer to a host. Before you pay, you see the price breakdown, the refundable caution deposit, Paystack’s payment fee and the date until which you can cancel for a full refund. If anyone asks you to pay for a Cabans stay into their own account, do not pay. See how to pay for your stay, and read how to pay for a shortlet safely.

If something feels wrong

Trust the feeling. It costs nothing to stop and check. If you are unsure:

• Stop paying. Do not send a “balance” or a “refund fee”.
• Keep everything. Save screenshots of the advert, the chat, the account number and your receipts.
• Call your bank at once if you have already paid, and report the transfer as fraud.
• Report it. Go to the police, and you can also report fraud to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
• Tell the site. Report the advert where you found it, so others are warned.

Found something suspicious on Cabans? Our page on how listings are verified explains what we check and how to report a listing, or you can contact us. For wider property scams, read how to avoid property scams in Nigeria.

What a safe booking looks like

A safe shortlet booking in Nigeria usually has all of these:

• a clear price breakdown: nights, cleaning fee, caution deposit and total;
• a caution deposit that is called refundable, with rules for getting it back;
• a clear last date to cancel for a full refund;
• check-in and check-out times, and house rules in writing;
• payment by card through a checkout, or to a business account, with a receipt;
• a confirmation message or email, and the exact address once the booking is confirmed.

Staying safe goes on after you pay. Our shortlet safety tips cover arrival, door codes and getting help during your stay.

Find a shortlet you can book and compare what each listing shows before you decide. Hosts who want guests to trust them from the start can list a short let on Cabans with clear photos, prices and rules.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

How to avoid property scams in Nigeria · How much is a shortlet in Lagos? · Detty December in Lagos · Cheap shortlets in Abuja · How to find a shortlet · How listings are verified · Booking a shortlet through an agent