Can You Trust a Web Designer You Found on WhatsApp or Facebook?

The short answer: No, you cannot blindly trust a web designer you find on WhatsApp or Facebook.

That doesn’t mean every designer on social media is fake. Some are real professionals. But there are far too many scams and amateurs for you to simply pay money because someone sent you a nice message or a low quote.

In this guide, we will break down why hiring a designer from WhatsApp or Facebook is risky, the common red flags to watch out for, how to verify if someone is trustworthy, and why working with a verified agency in Cameroon is the safer option.

Why Social Media Designers Are Risky

In Cameroon, posting “I need a web designer” on Facebook or WhatsApp is like opening the floodgates.

Within minutes, your inbox fills with strangers offering to “build you a professional site at a cheap price.”

At first, it feels like you have plenty of options.

But this is where many business owners make costly mistakes.

Here are some of the common problems:

The disappearing designer scam – They collect a deposit, then block your number or vanish. We’ve seen schools and NGOs in Douala and Bamenda lose 100,000–200,000 CFA like this.
The stolen portfolio trick – Many scammers copy screenshots of foreign websites and claim they built them. Once paid, they deliver something completely different or nothing at all.
The unfinished project – Others start the work but abandon it halfway, leaving you with a broken site and wasted money.
The unskilled amateur – Some are not scammers but lack the skills. They can only use free templates, don’t understand SEO, and create sites that don’t help your business grow.

The bottom line is simple: finding a designer on social media is easy, but verifying if they are real is hard.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

Before you even think of hiring a designer you met on WhatsApp or Facebook, watch out for these warning signs:

1. No Real Portfolio

A serious designer can show you live websites they have built.

Don’t trust screenshots, they can be stolen. Visit the links yourself. Scroll down to the footer. Many designers, including us at Weblim, leave credits like “Designed by [Name].” If there’s no trace of them, ask questions.

In Cameroon, we’ve seen scammers show off portfolios of American websites that had nothing to do with them.

Business owners who didn’t verify ended up paying for lies.

2. No Client References

If a designer cannot connect you with even one past client who can vouch for them, that’s a problem.

Real professionals have clients willing to confirm their work.

At Weblim, schools and companies in Yaoundé, Douala, and Bamenda often speak directly to potential clients to confirm our results.

3. No Written Agreement

Never send money without a contract. Without one, you have no legal protection if the project fails.

A professional designer will always provide a clear proposal or contract listing the scope of work, deadlines, and payment stages.

If someone refuses, walk away.

4. Strange Payment Requests

Be careful if they demand full payment upfront, or even stranger requests like “send me transport money” or “buy my hosting first.” These are red flags.

A safe setup is staged payments: part upfront, part after delivery.

5. Weak or Suspicious Online Presence

If all they have is a Facebook profile with a stock photo and no reviews, no posts, and no professional details, that’s a major warning sign.

Real designers invest in their online presence.

They have websites, LinkedIn profiles, or active business pages that showcase real work.

How to Verify a Web Designer in Cameroon

Not everyone on WhatsApp or Facebook is a scammer. Some are real professionals.

But you need to protect yourself. Here are practical ways to verify before you hire:

1. Check Their Portfolio Thoroughly

Visit every site they claim to have built.
Look for credits in the footer.
Contact the company listed on the site and ask if that person really built it.

2. Talk to Past Clients

Ask for phone numbers or emails of clients they worked with. Call them directly.

A scammer will hesitate or give fake references. A professional will connect you easily.

3. Search Their Name Online

Google their name, business, or email plus the word “scam.”

If others have been scammed, you may find warnings.

4. Ask for a Contract

If they refuse or say “we don’t use contracts,” stop right there. Without a written agreement, you are exposed.

5. Use Safe Payment Methods

Never send 100% of the money upfront.

Use mobile money with receipts, PayPal, or other secure methods.

Always split payments into milestones.

6. Check Their Professional Presence

A real designer will usually have:

A website of their own.
A LinkedIn profile with history.
An active page where they share web design tips or client projects.

Local Scam Stories: Why This Matters in Cameroon

We’ve seen too many cases in Cameroon where businesses wasted money because they trusted the wrong person on WhatsApp or Facebook.

A vocational school in Douala paid 150,000 CFA for a full school website. The designer disappeared after two weeks. They had no contract, no receipt, nothing to fight back with.
An NGO in Bamenda trusted someone who promised a professional site for 80,000 CFA. What they got was a free WordPress template with broken links. They later had to rebuild from scratch with us at Weblim.
A small company in Yaoundé was shown a portfolio of foreign websites. They paid half the fee upfront, only to find out those sites were stolen images from Google.

These are real stories, and they keep happening because too many people trust WhatsApp and Facebook designers without checking.

What a Professional Agency Guarantees

This is where the difference comes in.

A verified agency or experienced freelancer offers what random WhatsApp contacts cannot:

Proof of Work – You can see live projects and talk to real clients.
Contracts – Clear terms that protect both sides.
Transparency – Real business details, addresses, and identities.
Support – After the site is live, they don’t vanish.
SEO and Growth – They don’t just build a site, they help you attract customers.

At Weblim, we’ve built websites for schools, NGOs, construction companies, blogs, and medical organizations in Cameroon.

Our clients include STEM University, Gemac Construction, and Pure Health Assistance.

Every project is backed by a contract, clear timelines, and after-support