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Every day, thousands of South Africans receive messages designed to trick them into giving away their money or personal information. These messages arrive via WhatsApp, SMS, email and phone calls — and they are getting harder to spot because the people behind them are professionals who do this for a living.

This is not about being gullible. Highly educated, tech-savvy people get caught by these scams every day. The scammers are clever. But once you know what to look for, you’ll start to notice the warning signs immediately.

Let’s go through the most common ones.

The “you’ve won something” message

You receive a message — usually via WhatsApp or SMS — telling you that you’ve won a prize. A car. A cash amount. A shopping voucher. A holiday. All you need to do is click a link or reply with your details to claim it.

The rule is simple: if you didn’t enter, you didn’t win.

Legitimate competitions do not contact winners out of the blue via WhatsApp. They don’t ask you to pay a “release fee” or “admin fee” to receive your prize. The moment someone asks you to pay anything to collect a prize, it’s a scam — full stop.

The fake bank message

This is one of the most common and most convincing scams in South Africa. You receive an SMS or WhatsApp message that appears to be from your bank — Capitec, FNB, Absa, Standard Bank, Nedbank, or any other. It may look exactly like a real bank message, complete with the bank’s logo and official-sounding language.

The message typically says one of the following:

• Your account has been frozen or suspended
• There has been suspicious activity on your account
• You need to verify your details urgently
• Your banking app needs to be updated — click here

It then asks you to click a link, call a number, or reply with your account details, PIN, or OTP.

Your bank will never ask for your PIN, password or OTP via SMS, WhatsApp or email. Ever. These details should only ever be entered on your bank’s official app or website — and only when you initiated the action yourself.

If you receive a message like this and you’re worried, do not click anything. Phone your bank directly using the number on the back of your bank card — not any number in the message.

The fake SASSA message

Many South Africans receiving SASSA grants have been targeted by scammers pretending to be the South African Social Security Agency. These messages typically claim:

• Your grant has been suspended and you need to re-register
• There is additional money available for you — click here to apply
• Your SASSA card has been blocked — verify your details to unlock it

SASSA communicates through official channels and does not ask beneficiaries to verify personal details via WhatsApp or to click links to reactivate grants. If you receive a message like this, contact SASSA directly on their official toll-free number: 0800 60 10 11.

The “family emergency” WhatsApp scam

This scam has spread widely through South African communities and has caught many people off guard because it plays on love and instinct.

You receive a WhatsApp message from an unknown number. It says something like: “Hi Mom, my phone broke and this is my new number. I need money urgently — can you please EFT me R1 500? I’ll explain everything later.”

The message is designed to arrive when you’re busy or distracted. The scammer is counting on you acting quickly out of concern before you have time to think.

What to do: Before sending any money, phone the family member on their old number or call someone who would know where they are. In every single case of this scam, the real family member is fine — and completely unaware that their name is being used.

The fake delivery notification

You receive an SMS or WhatsApp message saying a parcel is waiting for you — from the Post Office, DHL, Aramex or another courier. You’re told to click a link to schedule delivery or pay a small customs fee.

This scam works especially well because many people are waiting for deliveries and assume the message is legitimate.

The link takes you to a fake website that looks like the courier’s real site. It asks for your personal details and a small payment — usually R25 to R60. That small payment is used to capture your card details, which are then used for much larger transactions.

If you’re expecting a delivery, go directly to the courier’s official website by typing the address yourself — never via a link in a message. Legitimate couriers send tracking information through their own app or website, not via random SMS links.

The job offer you didn’t apply for

A message arrives — often on WhatsApp — offering you a job with unusually high pay for easy work. Work from home. Flexible hours. R800 a day just for liking posts or completing simple online tasks.

These scams follow a predictable pattern. You’re asked to “register” by paying a small fee, or to provide your banking details to receive your first payment. Once you pay or share your details, the job disappears — and so does your money.

A legitimate employer will never ask you to pay to start working for them.

The five warning signs that apply to every scam

Whatever form the scam takes, most fraudulent messages share the same warning signs. Train yourself to notice these:

1. Urgency — The message creates pressure to act immediately. “Your account will be closed in 24 hours.” “This offer expires today.” Scammers want you to act before you think. Legitimate organisations give you time.

2. A link to click — The message asks you to click a link rather than directing you to an official app or website. Hover over or long-press the link before clicking — if the address looks strange or misspelled, don’t touch it.

3. Requests for personal information — Any message asking for your ID number, bank account details, PIN, OTP, password or personal information is a red flag. No legitimate organisation needs these via message.

4. Poor spelling or strange language — Many scam messages contain spelling mistakes, awkward phrasing or sentences that don’t quite make sense. This is because they are often translated from another language or written quickly. Real banks and government departments have professional communications.

5. An unexpected contact — The message comes from a number you don’t recognise, or from a known contact who is behaving strangely. If someone you know suddenly asks for money via message, always verify by calling them directly.

What to do if you receive a suspicious message

1. Stop. Don’t click anything, don’t reply, and don’t call any number in the message.
2. Breathe. These messages are designed to make you panic. Taking 60 seconds to think clearly is the single most important thing you can do.
3. Verify independently. If the message claims to be from your bank, SASSA, or another organisation, contact them directly using a number you already know or find on their official website.
4. Tell someone. Show the message to a family member, neighbour or friend before doing anything. A second pair of eyes almost always catches what the scam is hoping you’ll miss.
5. Report it. Forward suspicious messages to the South African Fraud Prevention Service on 0860 101 248, or report banking fraud to your bank directly.

What to do if you’ve already clicked or shared information

First — you are not alone. This happens to careful, intelligent people every single day.

If you clicked a link or entered details on a suspicious website:

• Call your bank immediately on the number on the back of your card
• Change your banking app password and your email password right away
• Watch your accounts closely for any transactions you don’t recognise
• Contact SAPS if money has already been taken — case number 10111

The faster you act, the better your chances of limiting the damage.

Try this now

Look back at the last five messages you received from unknown numbers on WhatsApp or SMS. Apply the five warning signs above to each one. You may be surprised. If anything looks suspicious, don’t delete it — show it to someone you trust and report it if necessary.

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