Scams being reported around South Africa.

SASSA: sms warning

CheckSRDS’ October 2026 SASSA payment page warns beneficiaries about payment-period scams: personal-number messages about pay dates, requests for PINs/passwords/OTPs, non-SASSA links, and offers to speed up payment for a fee.

SASSA: whatsapp warning

OurPower’s SASSA fact-check page was updated on 7 October 2026 and warns that fake SASSA messages spread on WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok. It specifically says SASSA does not SMS/WhatsApp clickable links for verification, login, grant updates or payouts.

Absa: email warning

Recent ScamChecker listing flags a phishing attempt impersonating Absa Bank, with the sender email being the main indicator. It is likely intended to get recipients to disclose personal or financial information.

Checkers Google Wallet: social media warning

Recent ScamChecker listing describes a fake Google Wallet-style Checkers gift card image for ZAR 4,000, using an apparent barcode and redemption number to trick recipients into believing they received a valid voucher or to phish during activation.

Capitec: whatsapp warning

Recent ScamChecker listing describes a phishing attempt disguised as a Capitec notification sent via WhatsApp, intended to make the recipient click a malicious link.

FNB: sms warning

Recent ScamChecker listing describes an SMS phishing attempt impersonating FNB. The message says a R15,800 transfer was approved but a R1,777 transfer fee must be paid or a fraudulent number contacted.

MTN: sms warning

Recent ScamChecker listing describes a smishing lure impersonating MTN, offering a free data gift tied to a recent Bafana Bafana goal to entice the recipient to click a phishing link.

Court Services Center Court-document Impersonation: email warning

Recent ScamChecker listing says an email falsely claims a Letter of Demand has been issued and pressures the recipient to click a “View Court Document” link, likely for phishing or malware.

Postoffice: suspicious website

A reported page that may be imitating Postoffice.

postoffice[.]claimhere[.]co[.]uk/support/login#forgot_password

University of Cape Town UIF: email warning

UCT CSIRT’s Phish Bowl lists a 3 October 2026 email from notification@uif.email titled ‘Urgent: Outstanding Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Payment’. It falls just outside the 3-day window but is South-Africa-relevant and recently listed by a security team.

Unspecified South African Employers Recruitment Agencies: social media warning

eNCA reported on 9 October 2026 that traffickers and scammers are using digital recruitment and too-good-to-be-true job offers in South Africa, including promises of lucrative salaries and covered expenses, then taking control of registration processes and applicants’ documents.

SASSA: phone call warning

OurPower warns about callers claiming to be SASSA agents who ask for one-time PINs to ‘verify’ an account or grant status.

SASSA: phone call warning

OurPower reports a door-to-door impersonation scam where people claim to be SASSA officers visiting homes to update grant details, verify beneficiaries or replace cards.

SASSA Postbank Gold Card: whatsapp warning

OurPower warns of fake Postbank Gold Card deadline messages creating panic about card expiry or urgent replacement deadlines, while telling people to verify dates only via official SASSA/Postbank sources.

SASSA: website warning

OurPower lists fake SASSA websites as an active 2026 scam category, warning that copycat sites use SASSA branding, request ‘application’ or ‘verification’ fees, and collect personal details. The source names examples as generic patterns rather than verified live phishing URLs.

SASSA: sms warning

OurPower warns that SMS messages saying ‘click this link’ to verify a SASSA grant, update details or claim a payout are phishing. It says SASSA does not send SMS links for verification or login.

SASSA: whatsapp warning

OurPower reported that scammers use fake SASSA WhatsApp numbers claiming to help people apply for SRD grants or fix grant status problems, while asking for ID numbers, banking details, OTPs or PINs.

SASSA: whatsapp warning

OurPower’s SASSA scam fact-check page, updated 7 October 2026, warns that fake SASSA messages are spreading on WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok, including false claims about SRD grant increases and fake application/status-check help.

Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC): social media warning

Africa Check reported on 8 October 2026 that Facebook posts circulating in South Africa claim the IEC is recruiting for a 2026 intake and direct users to dodgy/unverified online application links. The advice is to use only the IEC’s verified careers portal.

SARS: email warning

SARS’ scam-alert page, crawled in the last 3 days, says scammers are using AI to generate professional-looking email templates for tax-refund phishing. No scam URL was published in the accessible text.

SARS: sms warning

SARS’ scam-alert page, crawled in the last 3 days, warns about a scam wave via SMS and email telling recipients they are owed a tax refund, in one example R48,900, and directing them to a fraudulent website to claim it. No scam URL was published in the accessible text.

Nedbank: sms warning

Nedbank’s fraud-awareness page, crawled within the last 2 days, warns of SMS versions of the same phishing and smishing tactics. No scam URL was published.