To avoid fake clients in Lagos, never pay anyone to "confirm" a booking, never trust a transfer alert or screenshot as proof of payment, confirm the address with the client and the gate before you travel, share your live location with a friend, and take bookings through Velvet so you are paid before you leave home. Advance-fee scams are common in Nigeria, and creators are targeted by versions that look like bookings, shoots and agency offers.
How you get paid on Velvet: the client pays Velvet before you meet, so the money is already there. You get half as soon as the booking is made, and the rest after the meetup: the price you set, minus Velvet's fee. No more being paid less than agreed, or not paid at all.
Key takeaways
- The money rule: you never pay to receive a booking, a shoot or an agency contract, and you never send "transport" money first.
- The proof rule: a screenshot or SMS alert is not payment. Check your own account or use payment protection.
- The travel rule: confirm the address and the gate, use a ride-hail trip you can share, and avoid hailing unmarked cars at night.
- The reporting rule: call your bank at once if money moved, keep every message and report fraud to the police or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
- Creators have full access to Velvet at no cost right now and keep 80% of what clients pay for paid items; see the join page for current terms.
How do advance-fee scams work for Lagos creators?
An advance-fee scam asks you to pay a small amount now for a bigger reward later. Creators see several versions. Learn the shape and you will spot new ones.
- The fake credit alert. A client shows an SMS or a bank screenshot that says money has gone out. It never arrived. You discover it after you have travelled or sent a file.
- The "confirm you are serious" fee. A client or an "agent" asks you to send a deposit, a data fee or a registration fee before they will book. Real clients do not charge you to be booked.
- The shoot or modelling offer. Someone offers a paid photo shoot or a contract and asks for a portfolio fee, a studio fee or a "card" fee. Becoming a model in Lagos explains the legitimate path.
- The overpayment. A client sends too much, by transfer or a cheque, and asks you to return the difference. The first payment later fails.
- The visitor from abroad. A client says they are flying in and asks you to help with a hotel, a visa or an airport pickup, with the promise to repay.
- The recording threat. A person asks for private images or records you, and then threatens to share them unless you pay. Never send private images, and never pay. See protecting your content from leaks as a creator in Nigeria.
How do you screen a new client before you accept?
- Look at the profile and history. On Velvet, check how long the client has been on the platform and whether they have completed bookings.
- Ask for the estate or building name and the exact area, whether Lekki Phase 1, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Ikeja or elsewhere. Search it on a map.
- Make one short call. A short call tells you whether the voice, the story and the pace feel normal.
- Agree the price and the time in writing, and ask the client to pay Velvet.
- Prefer daylight and early evening for a first booking.
- Decline if anything feels off. You never owe anyone an explanation.
How do you travel and arrive safely in Lagos?
Lagos has its own travel risks. Use a ride-hail trip that you can share with a friend, and check the plate and driver before you get in. Avoid unmarked cars and buses at night, because robberies on the road, often called one chance, are a well-known danger. Plan your route around the Third Mainland Bridge, the Lekki-Epe Expressway and the go-slow, so you do not end up stuck somewhere unfamiliar at night.
Estates often need a visitor to be cleared at the gate. Ask the client to confirm you with security, and give your name to the guard. That records your arrival, which protects you. Send a friend the address, the client's name or handle, the time and the vehicle. Switch on live location and use the safe-arrival timer. Keep your phone charged, carry a power bank, and have a plan for getting home.
If you also work as a companion at dinners and events, becoming a dinner date companion in Lagos covers venues and boundaries.
How does payment protection change the risk?
For a booking on Velvet, the client pays Velvet before you leave. You can see the held status inside the app, not in a message anyone could write. It is released to you after the session is confirmed, and a dispute has a process. That removes the fake alert, the overpayment and the "confirm you are serious" trick, because none of them can work against a status you can check yourself. Paying through Velvet does not remove physical risk, so the travel steps still matter. WhatsApp and phone contact are allowed, but anything arranged and paid outside Velvet is not covered by payment protection or dispute protection.
What should you do if it already happened?
- Get to safety and call 112 if you are in danger.
- Call your bank immediately if money moved, and give the details. Speed matters.
- Keep every message, screenshot and number.
- Report to the police and, for fraud, to the EFCC.
- Report the profile on the platform where you met the person. On Velvet, reports are reviewed by the team.
- Tell someone you trust. Scammers rely on shame and silence.
Related guides
- Making money as a creator in Nigeria: the full picture
- Getting massage clients in Lagos: channels and trust
- Lagos on Velvet: how clients find creators
Frequently asked questions
How do I avoid fake clients in Lagos?
Never pay to be booked, do not trust transfer alerts or screenshots, confirm the address and gate, share your location and take bookings through Velvet.
A client asks me to send money first. What do I do?
Decline and end the chat. No real client needs you to pay before a service. Report the profile.
How do I screen clients in Nigeria?
Check the profile and history, ask for the building name, make one short call and agree the price in writing. Ask the client to pay Velvet.
How do I meet a new client safely?
Meet in daylight or early evening if you can, share your location with a friend, use a trackable ride and clear the gate with security.
What is a fake credit alert?
A message or screenshot that appears to show a transfer that never arrived. Check your own account, or use payment protection.
Ready to take protected bookings? Join Velvet as a creator and complete your verification.