Safety Centre
A quick guide to buying and selling safely on Helderberg Classifieds.
Meet in public, in daylight
- Choose busy locations: mall parking, petrol-station forecourts, or your local SAPS station parking.
- Bring a friend. Tell someone where you're going and share your live location.
- For big items, ask the seller to show it working before you pay.
Payments and personal info
- Cash on collection is the safest option. Count it before handing anything over.
- Avoid EFT-in-advance to strangers, especially for vehicles or electronics.
- Never share OTPs, banking passwords, ID copies, or Uber/eHailing pick-up addresses with a stranger.
- Helderberg Classifieds will never ask you to move payment off-platform or send a verification code.
Prefer Verified sellers
- Sellers with the green Verified badge have submitted an ID document and selfie that our team reviewed.
- Verification isn't a guarantee — always inspect the item and trust your instincts.
Report suspicious ads
- Use the Report button on any ad. Pick a reason and add detail.
- Ads that receive multiple independent reports are automatically hidden and sent back for admin review.
Block bad actors
- Use Block on a seller profile or a message thread to hide their ads and stop further messages in both directions.
- Manage your block list any time from your Profile.
Common scam red flags
- Price far below market and pressure to pay quickly.
- Seller refuses to meet, insists on couriers, or wants payment via gift cards / crypto.
- Requests for your OTP, ID selfies for 'verification', or a 'small deposit' to hold the item.
- Poorly written listings that copy photos from other sites.
In an emergency call 10111 (SAPS) or 112 from a mobile. Back home