Buyers Beware Kenya

Initiative is about doing the right thing without being told to. The administrator/founder of Buyers Beware, Kenya a Facebook group that sought anonymity, started an initiative that serves as an avenue for community policing. The page aims to keep Kenyans in the tracks of honesty, especially in business. ” Being the administrator of the Buyers Beware group requires anonymity due to the nature of my work. My identity must remain a mystery for the sake of my security.” says Adam not his real name.

A screenshot from Buyers Beware page.

 According to Adam, dishonesty has been ailing most Kenyan businesses. It was for this reason that he got inspired to open the Facebook group in October 2017. Currently, the group has 30,599 members. “If you are keen, you realize that economies like Japan, China, and India have thrived in eCommerce businesses. For example, you can order cars from Japan at the click of a mouse. Do you think this is possible here in Kenya? In Kenya, we wait on any opportunity to pounce on the innocent and trusting victim. You and I can help break the chain of dishonesty”. He adds.

The forum has also helped expose corporate and public servants who have been sleeping on their jobs and treating Kenyans like garbage because of the positions they hold. "We had a case from Nakuru of a nurse/receptionist who had been treating the patients at the hospital with an attitude and mistreating them. She changed her attitude immediately after the exposure.” Adam says. However, the group has had some negative elements where people lodge false accusations towards their alleged enemies or lovers who called it quits on them. “I always ask for proof of the said fraud or mistreatment before approving a post to hinder malicious people from using this platform to tarnish brands and people's reputation.” He adds. 

A screenshot from Buyers Beware page.

According to Adam, most Kenyans are honest people. However, there are a few elements who don’t mind cheating their way through life. We rely on numbers (Occurrence Book) for the cases reported to the police station. We also use screenshots of SMS or WhatsApp conversations. “It may not seem like much exposing rogue brands and people, but in this age of social media, information spreads like wild bush fire. One day buzz on a rogue brand can lead to consumer boycotting, causing the loss of millions. My advice to brands is to trade honestly, you will get better and more referrals. What more could a business ask for,” he says.

Buyers Beware also handles cases on debt defaulters. The group does not allow political discussion or gossip, and any posts relating to the two are deleted immediately. “People should not mistake me for being a government mouthpiece. I only want to deal with consumers' issues by giving exposure to authentic cases and alerting the public on rogue persons and business,” says Adam.    

A screenshot from Buyers Beware page.

              

Buyers Beware follow-ups on cases to ensure they are resolved amicably. When both parties agree on how to solve the case, the posts are pulled down as the consumer receives a reprieve. “It doesn't pay to run this page, but I want the best for consumers. Consumers should learn to do due diligence. If possible, ask someone, even if it’s a friend, about the products, take time and check out the products, don't buy into everything you see”. Adams says.