Getting a website built in Senegal exposes you to well-known traps. Many entrepreneurs pay, then discover they own nothing, or find themselves held hostage by their provider. Here are the most common scams, each with how to spot it and protect yourself.
Mistake 1: being lured by the 25,000 FCFA site
An offer that is too low always hides something: a recycled template, free hosting that expires, or a bill that inflates later.
Why it hurts: you pay little but get an unusable site, impossible to rank, sometimes unavailable a few months later. The real cost appears afterward.
How to protect yourself: ask exactly what is included (hosting, domain name, number of pages, maintenance) and be wary of any offer far below the market.
Mistake 2: not owning your domain name
Some providers buy the domain under their own name. The day you want to leave, they keep your company address hostage.
Why it hurts: you lose your address, your rankings, sometimes your professional emails, and you must pay to recover what should be yours.
How to protect yourself: require the domain name to be registered under YOUR name and YOUR account. Ask for the registrar access. The domain is your property, not the provider.
Mistake 3: having no access to code and hosting
A provider who refuses to give you access (hosting, admin panel, source code) makes you dependent for life.
Why it hurts: you cannot change provider, edit your site, or back it up. You are a prisoner of their prices and availability.
How to protect yourself: require full access in writing and a copy of the site at delivery. Check that you can log in yourself before paying the balance.
Mistake 4: paying for fake SEO
Some promise the first page of Google in a week or a guaranteed ranking. It is impossible and it is a scam signal.
Why it hurts: you pay for a fictitious service, sometimes toxic links that can penalize your site. You lose money and time.
How to protect yourself: avoid ranking guarantees and magic timeframes. Real SEO is measured in months, with clear reports on keywords and traffic.
Mistake 5: discovering hidden subscriptions
A site announced at a single price, then surprise monthly fees for hosting, maintenance or simple edits.
Why it hurts: your budget explodes, and every small edit becomes paid and slow. You are trapped in recurring costs you did not plan for.
How to protect yourself: ask in writing for the full list of recurring costs before signing. Clearly separate the creation price, the annual hosting and the maintenance.
Mistake 6: a vague or non-existent contract
Many scams thrive because there is no written document: no scope, no deadline, no ownership, no warranty.
Why it hurts: in a dispute, you have no proof. The provider can deliver less, later, or vanish.
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How to protect yourself: require a written quote and contract specifying scope, deadlines, total price, ownership of the domain and code, and maintenance. No contract, no payment.
Mistake 7: paying everything upfront
Paying in full before delivery is the best way to never see the finished site.
Why it hurts: with no leverage, you cannot demand anything if the provider drags on or disappears. Several Senegalese entrepreneurs have lost their entire deposit this way.
How to protect yourself: pay in stages, for example a deposit at the start and the balance at validated delivery. Always keep leverage until conforming receipt.
Mistake 8: choosing an unreachable provider
A provider with no verifiable address, no showable work, no references, reachable only by an anonymous number, is a high risk.
Why it hurts: after payment, they can vanish, and you have no recourse or way to find them.
How to protect yourself: check their real work, ask to contact past clients, favor an identifiable provider with a verifiable presence and reputation.
Real case: the restaurant that lost its domain
A Dakar restaurant had a site built for 80,000 FCFA. Everything worked, until the day it wanted to change provider. Surprise: the domain name was registered under the provider name, who demanded 200,000 FCFA to release it. The restaurant had to start over on a new domain, losing its rankings and emails. The lesson: before paying, always require domain ownership under your own name.
FAQ
How do I know if I really own my domain?
Ask for the registrar access (where the domain is registered) and check that your name and email appear as the holder. If the provider refuses, it is a red flag.
Is a 25,000 FCFA site necessarily a scam?
Not always, but it is very rarely a complete, durable professional site. The risk of a recycled template, expiring hosting or hidden fees is high. Ask for everything that is included.
Should I pay everything upfront?
No. Pay in stages, with a balance at validated delivery. This keeps leverage if the provider fails to meet commitments.
Is a first-page Google guarantee credible?
No. No serious provider guarantees a precise ranking or a magic timeframe. It is a classic fake-SEO signal.
What should I ask for before signing?
A written quote and contract with scope, deadlines, total price, list of recurring costs, ownership of domain and code, and full access at delivery.
Let's talk about your project. We build your site with full transparency: you own the domain, the code and the access. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
