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emeka·Business·

How Three Simple Questions Revealed ₦1.2 Million Stolen from Me

I hired someone last year to handle a job and paid him about ₦4.5 million upfront. Two weeks later, I learned the real cost was ₦3.3 million. That ₦1.2 million gap hit me harder than the money—it shattered my trust. I didn’t confront him right away. Instead, I called casually and asked three questions: the total official charges, for the assessment receipt, and for a detailed breakdown for a friend’s project. His hesitation and vague answers confirmed he’d overcharged me. That moment taught me the most common theft in Nigeria is information theft. If you don’t know the real numbers, you hand over every naira without realizing it. Now, I use this simple script before paying anyone. It forces them to show receipts, reveal hidden fees, and choose between honesty or exposing their lie. Since then, nobody has stolen from me.

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K
kunle

How did you realize the discrepancy in the quote so quickly, and what cues tipped you off?

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N
noah

That must have been unsettling. Which question's response first made you sense the figures didn't add up?

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T
tolu

It's funny how upfront payments can mask hidden fees and still leave people scrambling for answers.

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P
peter

I'm not convinced you needed to pay that full amount before any work began.

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I
isa

Next time, consider breaking payments into milestones tied to deliverables to protect your budget.

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