Your safety matters
Staying safe on EthioAdvert
Practical guidance for buying, selling and connecting safely on our platform.
Trust the badges
Look for the green Verified badge before contacting a business. Verified listings have been reviewed by the EthioAdvert team and confirmed as genuine. Featured listings (gold badge) have paid for placement but are not independently verified.
Safe buying and selling
- Meet in public places. When collecting items from Buy & Sell listings, always meet in a public, well-lit location — a café, shopping centre or supermarket.
- Never pay in advance for unknown sellers. Be cautious of sellers asking for payment before you have seen the item.
- Check reviews. Listings with customer reviews give you additional confidence in the seller or business.
- Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, it probably is. Do not proceed with any transaction that makes you uncomfortable.
- Verify business details. For services and professional businesses, ask to see credentials, registration numbers or proof of identity where relevant.
Reporting a problem
If you encounter a suspicious listing, fraudulent behaviour or anything that concerns you on EthioAdvert, please report it immediately. We take all reports seriously and review them within 24 hours.