Agent Took Your Money and Disappeared: Steps

What do I do in the first 48 hours?

This is a time-ordered list. The first few hours matter most, because mobile money that has been cashed out is far harder to recover than money that is still in a wallet. We cannot recover your money for you, and no step below is a guarantee. They give you the best chance and a clean record.

1. Stop. Send nothing more, even if the agent now asks for a "release fee", "legal fee" or "tax" to return your money.
2. Call your mobile money provider. Say you were defrauded and ask them to freeze the money if it has not been cashed out. Have the transaction ID, the amount, the time and the number you paid.
3. Save the evidence. Screenshot the listing, the chat, the receipts and the agent's profile before they are deleted.
4. Report to police. Ask for a reference number and give the evidence.
5. Report the agent to us. Use report property scam so the listing and the agent are reviewed.
6. Tell the property's real owner, if you know who they are, that someone may be using their property in advertisements.

If you are abroad, ask a trusted relative or an advocate in Uganda to act for you with a signed letter, while you keep the records.

Can mobile money be reversed?

Sometimes, but only when the money is still in the receiver's account and the receiver cooperates. The rules below come from mobile money guidance published in Uganda, and they are written for wrong transfers rather than fraud. Phone companies can change the steps, so confirm with your provider's official channel.

A fraudster who has already cashed out cannot be reversed this way. That is why speed matters. Do not rely on a social media post that claims a fixed reversal window. The Pulse article repeats a user's claim of a 24-hour window but did not verify it.

How do I make a police report?

Report the case to police without delay. A police forensic audit analyst said in October 2026 that victims should report cybercrime quickly and keep payment logs, chats, screenshots and other digital material rather than deleting them, because investigators use them to trace suspects. A police spokesperson said in November 2022 that the cyber-crime unit was ready to receive complaints of online fraud, so ask at the station whether that unit can take your case.

Take these with you:

• Your National ID or passport.
• The listing page or link, with the agent's profile and number.
• The mobile money messages with transaction IDs, amounts and times.
• The chat history, voice notes and any "agreement" the agent sent.
• A short written timeline: who, what, when, how much.

Obtaining money by false pretences is one of the offences police list among land fraud cases. The Daily Monitor reported in April 2026 that police recorded 663 land fraud cases in 2025, against 397 in 2024. Of the 2025 cases, 398 were still under inquiry, 333 had gone to the Director of Public Prosecutions for guidance, 145 were advised to seek civil redress and 74 had reached court. Those numbers show that a report starts a process, and that the outcome is uncertain and slow. Ask for your reference number and follow up politely.

What evidence should I keep?

Evidence is what turns a story into a case. Keep it in more than one place, such as your phone and a cloud folder.

• The advertisement. Screenshots with the date, price, photos and the profile name. A listing can vanish in minutes.
• All payments. The SMS or app receipt, not only a screenshot of a chat.
• All conversations. WhatsApp, calls and voice notes. Do not delete the thread, and do not block the number.
• Papers the agent gave you. A sale agreement, a title copy, an "inspection receipt". A fake document is evidence too.
• Who else was paid. If an advocate, a "surveyor" or a "chairman" was named, write the name down.

Reports of fake agents describe a pattern: an "inspection fee" asked by mobile money before any viewing, a deposit demanded before the buyer sees the property, a listing that has already been sold or does not exist, and a low price that rises after fees are paid (Nymy Net, July 2025, a blog, not a statistic). Compare what happened to you with that list. It helps police and us see whether the same person has done it before. Our guide on How to Spot a Fake Property Agent in Uganda lists the warning signs in more detail.

How do I report the agent to Land & Property?

Use the report property scam form and give the listing link, the agent's name as shown, and a short timeline. If the agent was on our platform, we will review the listing and the agent's profile. A confirmed breach can lead to the listing being removed and the badge suspended or withdrawn, as set out in the complaints process. If the agent was not on our platform, we cannot sanction them, but a report still helps us warn others.

What we can and cannot do needs saying plainly. We are not the police, a court or your mobile money provider. We cannot reverse a payment, and we cannot promise you will get your money back. We can review our own listings and agents, keep records, and give them to police if asked.

For next time, a few habits cut the risk. See the property and the seller's papers before paying anything. Do not pay an agent a personal wallet number. Check that the agent is listed in the directory, and find a verified agent before you hand over money. If you work as an agent and want to be on the right side of this, become a real estate agent with a checked profile. Our Jiji property agents alternative overview explains how verification works, our guide on Getting Property Leads on WhatsApp Without Spam covers how honest agents reach buyers, and you can browse all listings at any time.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Verified Property Agents in Uganda (Every Agent Checked)
• How to Spot a Fake Property Agent in Uganda
• Report a Suspicious Listing or Agent
• Verified Agents Directory: Uganda
• Getting Property Leads on WhatsApp Without Spam
• Complaints and Appeals