How to order a cake online in Ghana without getting scammed

Most cakes in Ghana are ordered through Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp and Jiji, and paid for in advance by mobile money. That works well with real bakers, but it also makes it easy for a fake page to post stolen cake photos, take deposits and vanish.

Ghana's Cyber Security Authority has warned about fake online shops and "hyped adverts", especially on Facebook, Instagram and Telegram, that ask for payment up front to MoMo wallets in names that don't match the shop. It also warns about scammers who add fake contact numbers for real businesses to Google Maps. Valentine's, Mother's Day and Christmas are the busiest times for these scams, because that's when people order gifts in a hurry.

• Look for customer photos, not just the baker's own. Tagged photos and reviews from real customers are hard to fake. A page full of perfect studio pictures and no tags is a warning sign.
• Check the page's history. A real baker usually has months or years of posts, not a burst of photos from last week.
• Call or voice-note them. A real business will talk to you and answer questions about size and flavour.
• Ask where you can pick up. The CSA advises asking for a physical location. Even home bakers can tell you the area.
• Find the number on the baker's own page. If you found a number on Google, check it matches the one on their Instagram bio or website, because scammers plant fake numbers.
• Reverse-search a photo if a price looks too good. Stolen cake photos often come from foreign bakers' pages.

Our baker directory only lists bakers with their contact details taken from their own public pages, with the sources shown.

Put everything in one WhatsApp message and ask the baker to confirm it:

• size in inches, number of layers or tiers
• flavour and filling
• icing: whipped cream, buttercream or fondant (they cost very different amounts)
• colours, design (send a reference photo) and the exact wording of any message
• date, time and pickup or delivery address
• the full price, what the deposit is, and when the rest is due
• the delivery fee, if any

This protects both of you. If the cake turns up different, you have a record of what was agreed.

Most bakers need a deposit to buy ingredients and hold your date, which is fair. To stay safe:

• Pay a deposit, not the full price, unless it's a small, cheap order from a baker you already trust.
• Pay only to a MoMo wallet or bank account in the business's name or the name the baker gave you. The CSA specifically warns about wallets in unrelated names.
• Screenshot the payment and the conversation.
• Pay the balance on pickup or delivery, once you've seen the cake.

Never share your Ghana Card number, MoMo PIN or bank login with a seller.

If the cake is late, wrong or doesn't arrive, message the baker first with your written order and payment screenshots; most problems are honest mistakes. If you were scammed, report it straight away to your mobile money provider and to the Cyber Security Authority's 24-hour line: call or text 292, WhatsApp 0501603111, or email report@csa.gov.gh.

Want to skip the risk of a stranger's page? Ask us for quotes and we'll pass your request to up to three bakers, or compare prices first in our price index so you know what's normal.