Your Safety Is Our Priority

UniTrade is a students-only platform  but that does not mean
every transaction is automatically safe. Follow these guidelines
every time you buy or sell.

Always Meet in a Safe Public Place

The safest way to complete any transaction on UniTrade is a face-to-face meetup on campus. Campus environments are busy, familiar, and have security personnel nearby.

Best meetup spots on campus:

  • The main library entrance
  • The student centre 
  • The campus cafeteria or food court
  • Near the campus security office
  • A busy lecture hall corridor between classes

Rules for meetups:

  • Never meet at someone’s private off-campus residence for a first transaction
  • Always meet during daylight hours avoid early mornings or late evenings
  • Tell a friend or roommate where you are going and who you are meeting
  • If something feels wrong when you arrive trust your instincts and leave
  • Never go alone to collect a large item like a fridge or furniture from an unknown location bring a friend

Keep Your Personal Details Private

You do not need to share your home address, student number, or banking details to complete a sale on UniTrade. Be careful about what you share in WhatsApp conversations with strangers.

Never share:

  • Your home address with someone you have not met before
  • Your banking login details or OTP (one-time password)  ever
  • Your student card number or ID number
  • Your class schedule or when your residence room is empty

It is okay to share:

  • Your WhatsApp number for communication
  • Your general campus location for meetup purposes
  • Your PAXI or courier tracking number after sending an item

How to Pay Without Getting Scammed

UniTrade does not process payments; buyers and sellers arrange payment directly. This procedure gives you flexibility but requires care.

Safe payment rules:

For buyers:

  • Never pay upfront before seeing the item in person for a campus meetup
  • For PAXI or courier delivery, only pay once the seller sends you the PAXI tracking number and you can confirm the parcel is on its way
  • Use EFT (bank transfer) rather than cash for larger amounts; you have a record
  • Screenshot all payment conversations in WhatsApp before transferring money
  • Do not pay via third-party payment links sent in WhatsApp; these are common scams

For sellers:

  • Confirm payment has cleared in your bank account before handing over the item
  • Do not accept screenshots of payment as proof; check your actual bank app
  • For EFT, funds can take up to 24 hours to clear depending on the bank. Wait if you are unsure
  • Cash is safest for campus meetups; count it before handing anything over

Using PAXI Delivery Through PEP Stores

PAXI is an affordable and reliable delivery option for smaller items like textbooks, phones, clothes, and accessories. Here is how to use it safely.

For sellers sending via PAXI:

  1. Agree on the price and who pays the delivery fee before sending
  2. Package the item securely; use bubble wrap or padding for fragile items
  3. Drop the parcel at your nearest PEP Store
  4. You will receive a tracking number; send it to the buyer immediately
  5. Keep your PEP Store receipt as proof of sending

For buyers receiving via PAXI:

  1. Only confirm payment after the seller sends you the PAXI tracking number
  2. Track your parcel at paxi.co.za using the tracking number
  3. Collect from your nearest PEP Store, bring your ID or student card
  4. Inspect the item before leaving the PEP Store — if it is damaged, photograph it immediately and contact the seller

PAXI costs approximately R60–R120 depending on parcel size and distance. Agree upfront who pays, usually the buyer covers delivery.

How to Spot a Suspicious Listing

Most students on UniTrade are honest. But here are red flags that should make you cautious before buying.

Be careful if:

  • The price seems too good to be true, a R15,000 laptop listed for R800 is almost certainly a scam
  • The seller refuses to provide a proof video of the item working
  • The seller cannot answer basic questions about the item, model number, purchase date, reason for selling
  • The listing has no photos or only one low-quality photo
  • The seller asks you to pay via a payment link, cryptocurrency, or gift cards
  • The seller claims to be studying abroad and wants to courier the item without meeting
  • The seller pushes you to pay urgently before you have confirmed everything
  • The profile was created very recently and has no history or reviews

Always:

  • Watch the proof video before agreeing to buy
  • Ask the seller to send a photo of the item next to a handwritten note with today’s date, a genuine seller will not mind
  • Check the seller’s store page, do they have other listings and reviews?

Seller Safety Tips

Sellers can also be targeted by dishonest buyers. Protect yourself with these habits.

  • Do not invite strangers into your residence room to view an item, meet in a public place instead
  • For large items like furniture, arrange viewing in a common area of your residence building
  • Confirm payment before handing over any item, no exceptions
  • If a buyer gives you a reason why they cannot pay yet but wants to take the item now, decline politely and wait until they are ready to pay
  • Take photos of the item before handing it over, proof of its condition at time of sale
  • Once an item is sold, mark it as sold on your listing or delete it promptly
  • Block and report any buyer who becomes aggressive or threatening

Report a Problem or Suspicious Listing

If you encounter a suspicious listing, a scam attempt, or any safety concern on UniTrade, report it immediately.

How to report:

  • WhatsApp our admin team directly at: [your WhatsApp number]
  • Email us at: safety@yourdomain.co.za
  • Use the Contact page on this website

What to include in your report:

  • The listing URL or seller name
  • Screenshots of your WhatsApp conversation
  • A description of what happened

We take every report seriously. Verified scammers and dishonest sellers are permanently banned from the platform.

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