Hotline to being scammed

AWARE: CONSUMERS URGED TO BE VIGILANT WITH CALLS FROM ALLEGED BANK CONSULTANTS

- Masoka Dube

IN DENIAL. Richard Shibiri testifies at the Madlanga inquiry yesterday.

(Gallo Images)

South African consumers are at risk of being fleeced of their hard-earned money as fraudsters continue phoning them in a bid to steal their confidential information.

Scammers are calling victims, claiming to be bank consultants, and urging them to reveal confidential information.

A woman from Etwatwa, near Daveyton in Ekurhuleni, told The Citizen how she was nearly scammed of her money.

"They phoned me more than three times last week, instructing me to give my personal details and a onetime pin that I would receive on my phone shortly.

"After hanging up, another person phoned and said my bank account had been hacked and he wanted to assist.

"When I went to a branch of the bank which they claimed they were from, the branch were not aware of the calls and names of the people."

Crime statistics show from October to December 2024, SA recorded 36 446 fraud cases and from October to December 2025, 37 174 cases were reported.

The Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) confirmed white-collar crime in the banking sector is on the rise.

It confirmed recently that such fraud was rampant in SA.

SAFPS CEO Manie van Schalkwyk said: "Yes, this is certainly taking place, and it is an ongoing tactic used by fraudsters.