How to avoid scammers
Almost everyone on doberi is an ordinary person selling, renting or looking for something. But scammers go where the money is. Here's how they operate and how to protect yourself.
Six rules
Not for an item, not to “reserve” an apartment, not for “delivery”. Pay once you've seen the item or the apartment with your own eyes.
You don't need a CVV, an SMS code or your bank password to receive money. Anyone who asks for them is a scammer.
“Receive payment”, “arrange delivery”, “confirm the deal” — these lead to fake bank and courier pages.
Meet in busy places and check the item before you pay. View apartments in person and check the owner against an extract from the Public Registry.
Your messages are saved, AI warns you about suspicious ones, and we can help if there's a dispute.
The “Report” button is on every ad, in chat and on profiles. Three reports from different people, and the ad is hidden until it's reviewed.
Common scams
“I'll pay with delivery, send me your card details”
A “buyer” from another city is happy to pay the full price and send a courier. Then they ask for your card number, expiry date and SMS code, or send you a “receive money” link. The fake page takes money from your card instead of paying you.
“Prepay to view or reserve an apartment”
Photos of a lovely apartment, a price below market, and an owner who is “abroad” and asks for a deposit so they can send you the keys. The apartment either doesn't exist or belongs to someone else. Don't pay until you've seen the apartment and the owner's documents.
“A job, but first pay for training or paperwork”
A real employer doesn't take money from job seekers — not for a uniform, not for training, not for a “document package”. Vacancies like this are banned on our site, so please report them.
“A tradesperson takes prepayment for materials and disappears”
Choose tradespeople with reviews and a verified profile. If materials are needed in advance, buy them yourself or pay against the store receipt.
“Too cheap”
A new iPhone at half price, a seaside apartment at a third of the market rate — that's a fake, stolen goods or bait. Compare it with similar ads in the catalog.
“Let's move to WhatsApp”
Scammers try to get you out of the doberi chat, where protection works and the history is visible. Don't rush to switch until you're sure the person can be trusted.
Buying an item
- Check the item when you meet: turn it on, charge it, look at the serial number.
- For a phone, make sure it isn't linked to someone else's account (iCloud, Google), and check the battery health in settings.
- Ask for the receipt or the box. A “Receipt” badge on the listing means we've matched the receipt to the model.
- Pay on the spot, after checking.
Renting a home
- View the apartment in person or on a live video call, not from photos someone sends you.
- Ask for an extract from the Public Registry and the owner's passport. If someone other than the owner is renting it out, ask for a power of attorney.
- Sign the contract before handing over any money. The deposit should be covered by a signed receipt or written into the contract.
- In Georgia, the owner pays the agency fee. If an agent asks you to pay a fee, don't pay anything before a contract is signed, and report the ad.
Choosing a tradesperson
- Look at reviews and verification badges: on our site, reviews can only be left after a chat or via a link after a deal.
- Agree on the price before work starts — in writing, in chat.
- Ask about a warranty on the work and keep the receipts for materials.
Looking for a job
- An employer must not ask you for money — for training, a uniform, a health certificate or paperwork. This is forbidden on doberi.
- A foreigner without permanent or investment residence needs a work permit. When hired, the employer applies for it; under a contract or as a sole trader, you need your own permit. Working without a permit means fines for both the worker and the employer.
- Don’t open a card or forward SMS codes at an employer’s request.
What we do
- AI checks every ad before it's published, as well as the first messages in new chats.
- We warn you in chat — “This looks like a scam” — if someone asks for card details or an SMS code.
- We look for photos that have already appeared in other people's ads — that's how we catch fake apartments.
- Phone numbers are shown only to signed-in users, and no more than 30 numbers a day.
- We verify profiles: contact, phone, document.
- Three reports from different people, and the ad is hidden until a moderator looks at it.
“Pay through a safe deal” is a scam
doberi doesn’t take payments, doesn’t hold money and never sends payment links — you pay the seller directly, when you meet. The scam goes like this: a “buyer” or “seller” says they will pay or receive the money “through a doberi safe deal” and sends a link to a page that looks like ours or a bank’s. It asks for your card details and an SMS code — and takes the money. Don’t open such links and report the listing.
If you've been scammed
- Don't send any more money, even if they promise to “refund” it.
- Call your bank and block your card if you shared its details or a code.
- Report the ad or profile on doberi — we'll block the scammer and warn others.
- Contact the police: 112. Keep the chat, the phone number, links and transfer receipts.
Write to safety@doberi.ge or on Telegram @doberi_ge_bot — we'll reply as soon as we can.