Capitec scam warning

Capitec has warned its users about a scam in which criminals impersonating well-known organisations contact people claiming their IDs have been linked to serious crimes.

The bank said these scammers then claim to “transfer” their targets to the police, to whom they need to prove their innocence.

However, this is just a way of socially engineering potential victims into divulging sensitive information, which the scammers hope to exploit.

To protect against falling victim to such scams, the bank encourages South Africans never to share their PINs or bank information, even if these people claim to be the South African Police Service (SAPS).

If you would like to verify such claims with SAPS, Capitec said that the police must be contacted directly instead of being “transferred.”

It also warned that SAPS should not ask people for money or require them to sign into their banking app. Similarly, Capitec says that the police would not use WhatsApp for investigations.

Like Capitec’s warning, Discovery Bank said it observed an increase in fraudsters pretending to be South African Police Service (SAPS) detectives.

They then claim that there are fraudulent activities on a cellphone number linked to their target’s ID number and say they are transferring them to a “senior detective” for further assistance.

The second fake officer then falsely alleges that the ID number was used to create multiple mule accounts to extort funds from other people.

Thereafter, they ask the client how much money they have in their accounts and advise them to transfer this to a SAPS account and that the funds will be returned once the investigation has been concluded.

“These fraudsters use intimidation tactics such as fear and or threats of arrest to pressure their victims to make the payment,” Discovery Bank warned.

The bank said that the calls often came from private or untraceable numbers. However, these could sometimes be masked to look like they come from legitimate sources.

Discovery Bank advised that people remain calm, as these fraudsters relied on fear and panic to manipulate the victims.

Scammers impersonating Icasa

Scammers are also impersonating the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) in an elaborate scam through which they claim that your phone number has been used in banking fraud and to harass people.

A MyBroadband reader recently received a forged letter sent to them on an Icasa letterhead and featuring an electronic signature for Icasa chairperson Mothibi Ramusi.

Despite sporting a signature allegedly belonging to Ramusi, the letter is from “The Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, 350 Witch-Hazel Avenue”.

“This letter is to inform you that your mobile number has sent a large number of illegal advertisements and harassing text messages to the public,” the letter, fraught with typos, reads.

“We have received a report Reference Number (CAS-207/02/2025) from Pretoria Moot Police Station to deactivate all your numbers within two hours.”

The fraudsters instructed the reader to get a clarification letter from the Pretoria Moot Police Station through the constable to avoid the disconnection.

“You have to send us the clarification letter from Pretoria Moot Police Station to keep all your mobile numbers active,” the letter reads.

The reader also received a call from someone claiming to represent Icasa, informing them of the issue.

They told the target that they could connect them directly to a constable at the Pretoria Moot Police Station to confirm the case.

Curious, the MyBroadband reader asked to be put through. The “constable” then said that in addition to harassment, their number had been used in banking fraud.

After telling the scammers to take a hike, the reader informed us about this new scam tactic.

While Icasa provided no feedback, the Pretoria Moot Police Station confirmed to MyBroadband that no case with the reference number CAS-207/02/2025 exists at the station.