Police in Dakar say they have arrested and charged a suspect accused of running a deceptive delivery scam that allegedly targeted online merchants using social media platforms, particularly TikTok.
The case was handled by the District Police Station of Parcelles Assainies (U15), following what authorities described as a recurring pattern of fraud involving goods ordered online and collected without payment. Investigators say the suspect allegedly used a calculated method to deceive sellers, many of whom operate small online businesses through social media.
According to police, the suspect would first contact sellers and place substantial orders. At the point of delivery, she allegedly manipulated the process by redirecting delivery riders to false payment locations or by claiming that payment would be made later at another meeting point. Once she gained possession of the goods, investigators say she would cut off all communication and become unreachable.
The investigation was launched after several merchants filed complaints over unpaid deliveries and missing merchandise. Police say technical tracking and follow-up eventually led them to Grand Médina, where the suspect was allegedly preparing to repeat the same method.
Authorities said she had recently ordered five kilograms of fish and instructed the delivery person to leave the goods at a shop before meeting her later near Ndingala Pharmacy in Fadia City for payment. Acting on prior intelligence, officers reportedly set up discreet surveillance near the location and arrested her as she moved to collect the package.
During the arrest, police seized three mobile phones and five SIM cards, which investigators believe may provide useful evidence in identifying additional fraudulent transactions or other possible victims.
Under questioning, police say the suspect admitted to several acts linked to the alleged scam. Investigators claim she confessed to consuming previously obtained food items, including fish, with her family, using allegedly stolen decorative flooring in her living room, and selling a dining table obtained through the same method to a third party in Mauritania for 175,000 CFA francs.
Authorities said she has now been referred to the Prosecutor of the Republic, while investigations continue to determine whether more victims may have been targeted and whether any accomplices were involved.
The case highlights a growing challenge within Senegal’s expanding informal e-commerce space. As more young entrepreneurs and small businesses turn to TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, and other digital platforms to market products and coordinate deliveries, they are increasingly exposed to fraud, fake orders, and payment deception.
For many of these sellers, social commerce has become a vital source of livelihood. But without stronger safeguards, more secure payment systems, and wider public awareness, online selling can also become a vulnerable space for repeated abuse.
The case also serves as a broader warning about the need to protect trust in Senegal’s digital economy. As online trade continues to grow, experts say stronger verification systems, safer payment practices, and closer cooperation between sellers, delivery agents, and law enforcement will be essential in preventing similar scams.
Police have urged the public to report suspicious activity or useful information through the national toll-free number 800 00 17 00.
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