The Point-of-Sale (POS) business has become a daily survival tool for many residents of Port Harcourt, providing easy access to cash where banks and ATMs fall short. But alongside its growth, POS operators are increasingly becoming targets of calculated scams designed to exploit distraction, poor network, and human error.
One of the most common tricks involves card transactions that show “declined” on the POS screen. Scammers take advantage of the confusion that follows, especially in busy areas, to convince operators that the payment was successful.
A POS woman, on the 7th of January in Port Harcourt recently fell victim to this tactic, losing ₦50,000 in a single transaction. The customer inserted his card, the machine displayed “declined,” but he distracted her with conversation and insisted the transaction went through. Trusting his claim, she handed him the cash. When she later checked her transaction history, she discovered the payment had completely failed.
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Similar scams include fake transfer alerts, and pressure tactics where customers rush operators into releasing cash without proper confirmation. In many cases, fraudsters rely more on psychological manipulation than technology, knowing that a distracted operator is an easy target.
To avoid falling victim, POS owners must never release cash unless a transaction clearly shows “successful” and is confirmed through a bank alert or mobile app. Operators should stay focused during transactions, ignore pressure from customers, and always print or check receipts before handing out money. What may seem like a small delay can prevent a major loss.
As POS businesses continue to go on in Port Harcourt, operators must understand that caution is no longer optional. Staying alert, patient, and strict with transaction confirmation is the best defense against sca
