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Scams in South Africa: what to watch for right now

A plain summary of the scams official agencies in South Africa warn about most, with the latest published figures and the fastest way to get help.

By the TapSafely editorial teamUpdated

The numbers

South Africa recorded 97,975 digital banking fraud incidents in 2024, up 86%, with gross losses of R1.888 billion, up 74%.

South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC)

Gross fraud losses on South African issued credit cards reached R559.3 million in 2024, up 25.4% from 2023.

South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC)

Scams to watch for in South Africa

Common in South Africa

Fake bank calls, texts and emails

SABRIC says banking app fraud made up 65.3% of digital banking fraud incidents in 2024, mostly through social engineering such as phishing, vishing and smishing rather than hacking.

How to spot it
Common in South Africa

SIM swap fraud

SABRIC says SIM swap fraud continued to drive digital banking crime in 2024, letting criminals intercept one-time PINs.

How to spot it
Common in South Africa

Fake investment schemes

SABRIC says scams using fake bank executives to push fake investment schemes increasingly spread through Facebook and WhatsApp in 2024.

How to spot it
Common in South Africa

AI voice clone and deepfake scams

SABRIC warns that criminals use voice cloning and deepfakes to impersonate people and bank officials.

How to spot it
Common in South Africa

QR code phishing

SABRIC lists malicious QR codes that send victims to fraudulent websites among the social engineering methods seen in 2024.

How to spot it
Common in South Africa

Romance scams

SABRIC says romance and investment scams build trust over time before inventing an emergency or a fake opportunity.

How to spot it

Who scammers pretend to be

Banks and bank fraud departmentsBank officials and executivesCompany CEOs and suppliersMicrosoft and other tech companies

Never trust a call, text or email just because it uses one of these names. Contact the organisation using details you find yourself.

If you've been scammed in South Africa

  1. Call your bank's fraud line immediately so it can stop payments and block your cards or banking app.
  2. Report the crime at your nearest SAPS police station and ask for a case number.
  3. If your phone suddenly shows Emergency Calls Only or you lose signal, contact your bank and your mobile network provider right away, as this can be a sign of SIM swap fraud.

Where to report a scam in South Africa

Reviewed 2026-09-16. Services change, so check the official site if a link doesn't work.

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Questions

What are the most common scams in South Africa?

According to official sources: Fake bank calls, texts and emails, SIM swap fraud, Fake investment schemes, AI voice clone and deepfake scams, QR code phishing, Romance scams.

What should I do first if I've been scammed in South Africa?

Call your bank's fraud line immediately so it can stop payments and block your cards or banking app. Report the crime at your nearest SAPS police station and ask for a case number.

Who do scammers pretend to be in South Africa?

Official warnings mention Banks and bank fraud departments, Bank officials and executives, Company CEOs and suppliers, Microsoft and other tech companies.

Official sources and further reading

Figures and warnings on this page come from these official sources.