To protect your online business from payment disputes in Ghana, take payments through a checkout that confirms each payment with the payment provider, never through screenshots or personal MoMo numbers. Keep a clear record of what you delivered, and write down your refund policy before anyone asks. Most losses come from three things: fake payment screenshots, reversal scams, and buyers who dispute a card payment after receiving the goods.
The three common problems
1. Fake payment screenshots
A buyer sends a screenshot of a MoMo transfer that never happened, or an old one with the amount edited. You deliver, and the money never arrives.
Fix: don't accept screenshots as proof. When buyers pay through a checkout, the order is only marked paid after the payment provider confirms it. There's nothing to fake. See how to stop fake MoMo payment screenshots.
2. "Wrong number" reversal scams
Someone sends money to your personal MoMo number, then calls in a panic: "I sent it by mistake, please send it back." Sometimes the money was never sent, and the "alert" was a fake SMS. Sometimes it was sent and they also ask their network for a reversal, so you lose it twice.
Fix:
- Check your actual balance in the MoMo menu, not the SMS.
- Never send money back yourself. Tell them to contact their network, which handles genuine mistakes.
- Keep business payments off your personal number. A checkout pays into your store wallet, and strangers never get your number.
3. Card chargebacks and "item not received" claims
A buyer pays by card, receives the product, then tells their bank they didn't. The bank can take the money back while it investigates.
Fix: make delivery provable and your policy clear (below).
Habits that prevent disputes
Describe the product exactly
Most disputes are disappointed buyers, not criminals. Say what's included, the format (PDF, video, 32 pages), the delivery time and what isn't included. Clear expectations prevent "this isn't what I paid for".
Deliver in a way you can prove
- Digital products: buyers get the download link on their receipt and by email right after paying, and can find it again in My purchases. You can set a download limit and expiry so a "never received" claim is easier to check.
- Physical products: use waybills and tracking so there's a record of who received it and when.
- Services and bookings: confirmations and reminders go out automatically, with the date and time.
Publish a refund and returns policy
Put it on your store before your first sale: what can be returned, how many days, who pays delivery, and that digital downloads aren't refundable once opened (if that's your rule). Paylead has a returns request form so buyers ask in one place, not in your DMs.
Answer complaints fast
A buyer who gets a reply within hours rarely goes to their bank. One who's ignored for a week often does.
Be careful with cash on delivery
COD has its own risk: fake orders and refused deliveries. Ask for a delivery fee or deposit up front. See how to stop failed deliveries.
Red flags
- A buyer who wants to pay outside your checkout "because MoMo is down".
- Large orders from new numbers asking for urgent delivery.
- "Send me your MoMo PIN to confirm" (never, under any circumstances).
- Overpayment followed by "please refund the extra".
Frequently asked questions
Can someone reverse a MoMo payment made through a checkout?
Reversals are handled by the mobile network and the payment provider, not by the buyer alone. Checkout payments carry a reference and the buyer's details, so a false claim is much easier to check than a transfer to a personal number.
Should I refund a buyer who opened the digital file?
That's your policy to set. Many sellers don't refund opened downloads but offer help or an exchange. Write the rule down before you sell and apply it to everyone.
Who handles refunds on Paylead?
Refunds are reviewed by Paylead's team, so money only leaves your wallet with a record attached. Contact support with the order number.
Read next: how to get customers to pay before delivery and how to handle returns.
