By Peace Benjamin

A new technology platform, DoNotSell App, has been launched to help individuals and businesses protect valuable items from theft, reduce fraudulent transactions, improve ownership verification, and curb the circulation of stolen or disputed property.

The developers said the platform was created in response to growing concerns over theft, online scams, fake vendors, ownership disputes, and the increasing risks associated with digital and peer-to-peer transactions.

According to the company, many victims of stolen property suffer major financial and emotional losses, while unsuspecting buyers also risk losing money after purchasing stolen items unknowingly.

The platform is built around a verification system that allows users to check whether an item has been reported as stolen, flagged as suspicious, or marked as not-for-sale by its rightful owner before making payments or completing transactions.

DoNotSell App supports verification across several categories, including mobile phones, electronics, vehicles, gadgets, equipment, real estate, and other transferable assets.

The app also features a reporting tool known as “Blacklist,” which enables users to report fraudulent vendors, suspicious sellers, and individuals allegedly linked to deceptive transactions.

Speaking on the launch, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Nene, said the initiative was aimed at addressing the growing trust deficit in modern commerce.

“People are losing money daily through fake vendors, disputed ownership claims, fraudulent listings, and stolen property changing hands multiple times before the truth is discovered. We wanted to create a platform that helps people verify what they are buying, who they are dealing with, and whether an item has been previously flagged before transactions happen,” he said.

Also speaking, Co-founder Olusoji Shitta noted that verification and accountability systems would play a major role in the future of commerce as transactions increasingly move to digital and informal channels.

“One of the major reasons stolen items continue to circulate is because they can often be resold easily. A practical step towards reducing theft is to eliminate the incentive to steal by making it nearly impossible to sell stolen items, and by holding fraudulent vendors accountable,” he said.

He added that the company’s focus is on building practical tools that would help users make safer and more informed transaction decisions.

The platform also includes a recovery support feature that allows users who discover suspicious ownership activity during verification to discreetly notify rightful owners, thereby improving the chances of tracing disputed or stolen property.

The developers disclosed that future updates would further expand the platform’s verification, reporting, and recovery capabilities in order to support safer transactions for individuals, businesses, retailers, and marketplace users.