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How to recognise scams in South Africa

Scams here are not exotic. They come as SMS, WhatsApp, email and voice calls: a tax refund that never existed, a delivery that never left the depot, a fraud officer with a smooth voice and a story. The scripts work by using pressure, not real information.

Once you can see the pattern, panic fades and better decisions become simple. ScamCheck offers a free plain-language check for any suspicious message, and this page teaches the details category by category, so you can also spot trouble without the tool.

Paste the message into ScamCheck and get a plain-language result.

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How scams reach South Africans

These five situations raise the most questions, so each gets its own guide.

What to do if you have been scammed

Take a breath first. Careful, everyday people fall for rehearsed scripts all the time. Shame is the fraudster’s second income: it keeps people quiet while more damage is done. Acting soon matters far more than acting perfectly.

  1. Contact your bank. Use the official app or the number printed on the back of your bank card. Say plainly that you were scammed, share the payment details, and ask what can be stopped or reversed.
  2. Gather evidence. Keep messages and screenshots, the caller’s number, the account that received the money, and the times and amounts of any payment.
  3. Report it. Go to your nearest police station or use saps.gov.za, and keep the case number for every follow-up.
  4. Consider Protective Registration. At safps.org.za it places an alert on your identity number so future credit applications get extra scrutiny.
  5. Expect follow-up scams. The cleanest one promises to “recover your money” for a fee. Recovery is never guaranteed, and a second payment almost always deepens the loss.
  6. Take care of your wellbeing. Tell one person you trust. Fraud hurts, and it hurts less when it is said out loud.

One honest note: money lost to a scam is not always recoverable, especially once it has moved through someone else’s account. These steps give the outcome the best possible start, and your bank or a lawyer can tell you exactly where you stand.

What to do if you gave someone an OTP

An OTP is the small code sent to prove that you are looking at your account, not somebody else. Hand the code over while a stranger is listening, and you have handed over the proof itself.

  1. Act immediately. Contact your bank through the official app or the number on the back of your card, report that the code was shared, and ask for accounts to be secured and payments frozen.
  2. Change your passwords. Start with your email account, then the service the code came for. An email inbox is the front entrance to everything else, so treat it first.
  3. Check your SIM. Ask your network provider, in person if you can, whether a swap was requested on your number. A SIM swap in progress shows up as signal loss first.
  4. Assume compromise until confirmed. Ask the bank to review recent logins, devices and payments, and only relax when they say it is safe.

One firm rule for next time: no bank, retailer or government office will ever ask you to read out, forward or confirm an OTP. If somebody insists, that insistence is the reason the code exists.

What to do if you clicked a phishing link

Clicking the link is not the disaster. Giving details on the page that opens is the disaster. Move calmly, in this order.

  1. Close the page and any tabs that opened with it. Nothing further needs to be typed in.
  2. Changed a password? If you typed one in, change it now, anywhere it was reused, and switch on two-factor authentication where the service offers it.
  3. Watch the device. If nothing was entered, you most likely got away. Keep an eye out for a day or two for pop-ups or unexpected sign-out requests.
  4. Entered banking details? Call your bank immediately on the number printed on the back of your card and say exactly what you entered.

Prefer the official banking app for money matters. It connects straight to your bank, while a page opened from a message may be a perfect copy of something you never actually use.

How to identify a fake SARS message

Genuine SARS communication follows a pattern: measured wording, references to services you know, and no demand for payment or banking details inside a chat message. Fakes break every rule at once.

  • Pressure in the subject line, with phrases like “final warning” or “last notice”.
  • Offers of a “tax refund awaiting your bank details” that you never applied for.
  • Links that sit close to the official domain but are not quite it.
  • Requests to confirm a PIN, a password, or a fee of “admin charges” before anything is paid over.

The facts worth remembering: SARS does not send refunds through WhatsApp, does not ask for PINs, passwords or banking details by SMS or email, and does not release anything for a fee.

Verification is simple: open SARS eFiling yourself by typing sars.gov.za into your browser and log in from there. That path skips whatever link the message wanted you to trust.

Forward suspicious emails to the address SARS publishes on its official site, and log the incident at safps.org.za so the same loss is less likely in your circle next time.

How to identify a fake bank message

One rule holds for every bank in South Africa: nobody from your bank will ever ask for a PIN, an OTP or a password. Not by phone, not by SMS, not to “stop a fraud”, not ever. Any request for those details is the scam itself.

A classic script: “Fraudulent payments are being processed on your account. Please hold while we transfer you to the bank.” The transfer lands with an accomplice, who is warm, calm and uses a few correct details to build trust. New banking details are suggested, and money leaves.

Logos, sender names and links can all be copied convincingly. Judge the message by what it asks for, not by how official it looks. If a browser page claims to be your bank, read the address carefully, then close it and use the official banking app instead.

If you are in doubt at any point, end the call and dial the number printed on the back of your own card. That number reaches your real bank, where a few words about the call will sort it out.

Common South African scam categories

Open any category for the tells and the safe steps. If none of them match what you received, paste the message into ScamCheck and let the tool take a careful look.

Bank impersonation

How to recognise it

  • It comes as a call, SMS or WhatsApp from someone claiming to be your bank's fraud team, often with a real-sounding reference number.
  • They already know one or two small details about you, such as your name or a card expiry, and use them to sound believable.
  • They want an OTP or PIN 'to stop a payment', or tell you to move money to a new account so it can be 'protected'.
  • They push you to act this minute and often ask you not to tell anyone, including people at the branch.

What to do

  • Do not stay on the line. Hang up calmly, even if the caller sounds official and helpful.
  • Call your bank yourself on the number printed on the back of your bank card, or open the official banking app.
  • Never share an OTP, PIN or password with anyone who calls, texts or emails you.
  • If money has already moved, contact the bank immediately so payment disputes can start without delay.
SARS impersonation

How to recognise it

  • It arrives as SMS, WhatsApp or email claiming a 'tax refund' urgently awaiting your bank details.
  • The wording is a bit too slick or slightly off compared to official SARS communication.
  • It asks for your ID number, password, or a payment of 'admin fees' before your refund is released.
  • It stacks urgency with phrases like 'final warning' so you click before you check.

What to do

  • Do not reply or click anything in the message.
  • Check any real refund status by logging into SARS eFiling yourself, typing sars.gov.za into your browser, never through the link you received.
  • Report suspicious emails to SARS and log the incident at safps.org.za.
  • Remember the basics: SARS does not send refunds through WhatsApp and does not ask for banking details by message.
Police (SAPS) impersonation

How to recognise it

  • A caller claims you are under investigation, or that a case with your details was opened against you, sometimes with a second caller posing as an official.
  • They promise the matter can disappear for a fee, a 'handling amount', or vouchers bought at a shop.
  • They ask you to pay into an account, buy vouchers, or confirm personal details 'for the file'.
  • Real police matters are handled at a station with official paperwork, not by phone payment requests.

What to do

  • Do not pay anything or confirm any personal details during the call.
  • Visit your nearest police station in person, or use official SAPS channels at saps.gov.za.
  • If you have lost money or documents, report it at a police station and keep the case number.
  • In a live emergency, phone 10111.
Eskom impersonation

How to recognise it

  • A call, SMS or WhatsApp promises free electricity units, prepaid meter upgrades or a refund, but only if you act today.
  • It asks for your account number, ID number, or a payment of a 'release fee' into a personal account.
  • It threatens to cut your power within minutes unless you pay immediately.

What to do

  • Do not pay or share account details with unexpected callers or messages.
  • Manage your electricity account only through official channels: your municipality, your Eskom account or eskom.co.za.
  • Check any offer before paying anything. Real meter work is arranged by your municipality or provider with advance notice, not by cold calls.
Municipal scams

How to recognise it

  • A message claims your rates, water or electricity account is in arrears and must be settled immediately.
  • It gives banking details that differ from the ones printed on your official bill, or suggests paying into a personal account.
  • It offers one-day-only discounts on municipal accounts, or free water and electricity units for a small fee.

What to do

  • Never use banking details sent by SMS, WhatsApp or email. Use only the details printed on your official bill.
  • Verify any balance in person at a municipal office or through the municipality's official website.
  • If the message says services will be cut, contact the municipality directly before letting anyone near your meter or wallet.
Courier scams

How to recognise it

  • A call or SMS claims a parcel of yours is stuck, held, or found to contain illegal items.
  • They offer to trace the parcel or free it for a fee, a voucher purchase, or your personal details.
  • They quote a tracking number you cannot match to any order you made.

What to do

  • Do not pay any fee, especially not in vouchers, and do not share your ID number.
  • Check the status of any parcel directly on the courier's official website or app.
  • If you never ordered anything, remember you are not responsible for someone else's parcel. Ending the call is enough.
Post Office scams

How to recognise it

  • An SMS or email says a parcel can only be released after you pay a small fee or 'handling charge' through a link.
  • The link opens a page that looks like the Post Office but asks for card numbers or personal details.
  • It claims 'official documents' are being held and that you must confirm details urgently.

What to do

  • Do not click the link and do not pay anything through the message.
  • Track parcels only through postoffice.co.za or ask at your branch.
  • Collection fees are paid at the branch counter when you collect, not in advance by link.
WhatsApp account takeover

How to recognise it

  • A friend's account suddenly asks you for money, airtime or a prize claim, in a hurry and slightly out of character.
  • You receive a WhatsApp verification code by SMS when you did nothing to request it.
  • Someone asks you to forward that code, or to call an unknown number to 'activate' or 'verify' something.

What to do

  • Never share or forward a verification code, even to someone claiming to be a friend.
  • If a friend asks for money, phone them on their usual number to confirm it is really them.
  • If your own account is taken over, re-register WhatsApp on your phone and warn your family by another means, such as a call or SMS.
SIM swap scams

How to recognise it

  • Your phone shows no network for a long stretch while you are not changing anything, and calls and SMS stop coming.
  • Apps that verify by SMS no longer let you in, and people say they tried to reach you.
  • It often follows someone posing as your bank or 'the network', wanting a PIN or reference number for a 'routine' swap.

What to do

  • Treat several hours of signal loss as an alert: call your bank on the number on the back of your card and ask them to secure your accounts.
  • Visit your network provider's official shop with your ID to confirm your SIM.
  • After a real swap, change passwords that relied on SMS verification and review your banking apps carefully.
Fake jobs and employment scams

How to recognise it

  • You are offered the job before any interview, or 'hired' by an unsolicited SMS or WhatsApp.
  • Payment is requested upfront for uniforms, transcripts, clearance certificates or a 'processing fee'.
  • The pay is unusually high for the work, and the company cannot be traced in any official record.

What to do

  • Never pay to get a job. Real employers do not charge you to recruit you.
  • Look for the vacancy on the company's official website or careers page and apply there.
  • Share ID copies and banking details only after the employer is confirmed, and keep documents out of early chats.
Fake investment scams

How to recognise it

  • Returns are promised daily, weekly or monthly, always higher than any normal investment can earn.
  • Members get bonuses for recruiting others, the classic sign of a pyramid scheme.
  • There are charts and screenshots of 'profits', but no regulated provider, prospectus or licence you can check.

What to do

  • Do not send money in the hope of larger amounts later. Late joiners are the ones who lose.
  • Before investing, check whether the provider is licensed by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority.
  • If you or a family member have already joined, stop paying in and get guidance on your money before sending more.
Property and rental scams

How to recognise it

  • The listing looks beautiful, rents below market rate, and the agent insists a deposit would 'hold' the place.
  • Viewings are refused or postponed, but payment is wanted urgently today.
  • The chat refuses any payment platform with buyer protection and pushes a private transfer instead.

What to do

  • Never pay a deposit before you have viewed the property and signed an agreement.
  • Confirm the agent or landlord is real: meet in person, and ask to see proof of ownership or a mandate.
  • Use traceable payment methods and keep records of all communication.
Vehicle scams

How to recognise it

  • A car or bike is offered far below market price, with pressure to pay a small 'booking fee' today.
  • The seller refuses to meet or to allow an inspection, saying other buyers are circling.
  • The ad claims a dealership, but payment is requested into a private person's account.

What to do

  • Never transfer a deposit before you have seen the vehicle and its paperwork in person.
  • Check ownership, service history and whether the vehicle is still under finance.
  • Buy through reputable platforms with buyer protection where possible.
Facebook Marketplace scams

How to recognise it

  • A buyer offers more than your asking price, or a seller wants payment before you have seen the item.
  • The person pushes you off the Marketplace chat to WhatsApp or SMS quickly.
  • They ask for codes, OTPs or 'verification' steps involving your phone or your accounts.

What to do

  • Meet in a public place, inspect the item, and pay only on collection.
  • Never share codes or OTPs that arrive on your phone. Those steps are account takeovers in progress.
  • Report the profile through the platform and keep the chat as evidence.
Online shopping scams

How to recognise it

  • Prices are far below normal, and the shop's website is new or quiet, with hidden or generic contact details.
  • Payment is by direct bank transfer into a personal account, or a link shaped to look like a card page.
  • After payment, delivery dates move, contact stops, and there is no tracking you can verify.

What to do

  • Pay with a method that offers protection, such as a card, not a direct transfer to a stranger.
  • Read reviews, find a physical address and return terms, and test the contact details before buying.
  • If goods never arrive, ask your bank about a payment dispute and report the shop.
Romance scams

How to recognise it

  • The relationship moves fast and deep, with plans to meet, but meetings never happen.
  • They work far away, and after weeks a genuine emergency appears that only your money can solve.
  • They avoid video calls, or there is always a reason the connection or camera fails.

What to do

  • Never send money, vouchers or crypto to someone you have not met in person.
  • Suggest a video call. A genuine person may resist at first, but accept sooner or later.
  • Talk to someone you trust. They are not emotionally inside the story and may see a detail you are missing.
Lottery and prize scams

How to recognise it

  • You are told you won a draw, prize or inheritance in a competition you never entered.
  • The prize is large, but a fee, tax, voucher or 'transfer charge' is needed to unlock it.
  • They ask for banking details or your ID 'for the payout' before anything is verified.

What to do

  • Never pay a fee to release a prize. A genuine prize never costs you money first.
  • Do not send ID numbers or banking details to strangers. That is how identity fraud begins.
  • If the name of a real lottery is used, check the claim yourself on the operator's official website, never through the message.
Fake debt collection

How to recognise it

  • Threatening calls demand money immediately for a debt you do not recognise.
  • They will not provide a written, itemised statement or name the original creditor.
  • They threaten arrest, court, or blacklisting unless you pay within the hour.

What to do

  • Ask for the debt in writing, with the original creditor named and each charge listed.
  • Do not share ID numbers or card details with unknown callers.
  • Registered debt collectors follow set rules about how they may contact you. Verify the claim before paying anything.
Fake legal threats

How to recognise it

  • An email or SMS claims a summons, warrant or court action is coming unless you pay or respond quickly.
  • A 'lawyer' presses you to settle a matter you have never heard of, with urgency and secrecy.
  • The message mixes leaked personal details with demands for money or more information.

What to do

  • Do not reply or pay based on a message alone. Real legal papers reach you through proper channels.
  • Verify any claim directly at the relevant court, or with a lawyer you chose yourself.
  • If pressure continues, report it. For emergencies phone 10111, otherwise report at your nearest police station.
Fake traffic fines

How to recognise it

  • An SMS or WhatsApp says you have an urgent traffic fine, and your licence or car is at risk.
  • It asks you to pay by a link, a voucher or a personal bank account rather than an official channel.
  • The details do not match your vehicle, or the amount is small with a large rush attached.

What to do

  • Do not pay through any link sent to you.
  • Check fines on your municipality's official traffic system, or in person at your nearest traffic or licensing office.
  • Pay real fines only through verified municipal channels or official partners, and keep the receipt.
Fake tax refunds

How to recognise it

  • A message says you are owed a tax refund, pension payout or 'unclaimed money'.
  • It asks for banking details, a copy of your ID, or a payment of 'bank charges' to release the funds.
  • Short deadlines and links create the urgency that stops you from checking first.

What to do

  • Do not reply, click or hand over banking details.
  • Check the status of real refunds yourself by logging into SARS eFiling at sars.gov.za.
  • Report scams at safps.org.za and warn your family, who may be receiving the same message.
Fake government grants

How to recognise it

  • An SMS, WhatsApp or call says you qualify for a government grant, payout or 'fund release', without any application you made.
  • You are asked for a fee, airtime, banking details or your ID 'for approval'.
  • It borrows the names of departments you know, but the process skips every formal step.

What to do

  • Never pay a fee to receive a grant or payout. Real programmes do not charge applicants.
  • Apply only through official channels, such as the relevant agency's offices or www.gov.za.
  • Report scams at safps.org.za, and check in with family members who depend on such grants.
Fake NSFAS and student funding messages

How to recognise it

  • A WhatsApp group, SMS or email claiming to be NSFAS promises extra 'allowance money' in exchange for your details.
  • It asks for your student portal login, ID or banking details, or a fee to 'unlock' funds.
  • The style and sender match none of the formal communication you usually receive.

What to do

  • Never share your student portal password or banking details in a reply to a message.
  • Verify all funding messages on NSFAS's official channels, or ask your institution's financial aid office.
  • Tell other students in your group chats. These messages spread quickly on campuses.
Fake university messages

How to recognise it

  • A message claims you owe fees, missed a deadline, or won a bursary from a university.
  • It asks for payment into new banking details, different from those on your official account.
  • It pushes you to click links in the message instead of visiting the institution's own site.

What to do

  • Check your student portal directly every time instead of using links in messages.
  • Do not action any change to banking details without phoning the institution's published number.
  • Report the message to the university's IT or fraud contact so other students can be warned.
Fake package delivery notifications

How to recognise it

  • An SMS, WhatsApp or app message says a parcel is waiting, even though you did not order anything.
  • To 'release' it, you must pay a small fee or follow a link that asks for card details.
  • The tracking link names no courier you have actually ordered from.

What to do

  • Do not click links or pay release fees out of the message. Track parcels only on the courier's own website or app.
  • Use the tracking number from your own order confirmation, if you have one.
  • If you never ordered anything, you owe nothing to anyone's parcel. Delete the message and move on.
Phishing

How to recognise it

  • An email, SMS or website pressures you to 'confirm', 'unlock' or 'verify' your account today.
  • The sender's or site's address is a near copy of the real one, one character or word off.
  • It asks for logins, PINs, OTPs, ID or card details that the real service would never request in a message.

What to do

  • Do not open links in the message. Type the organisation's own website address into your browser instead.
  • If you have already entered details somewhere, change that password at once and contact the organisation. For your bank, use the number on the back of your card.
  • Report the message, then delete it.

Please note

ScamCheck provides informational risk analysis and does not guarantee that content is fraudulent or legitimate. When money, identity documents, passwords or financial accounts are involved, verify information directly with the relevant organisation using an independently obtained official contact method.

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