South Africa · Scam intelligence built from evidence

See the scam
before it sees you.

Report suspicious activity, upload supporting evidence, learn from verified scam patterns and request practical assistance when you need it.

Report a scamRequest verification or help
Person checking a suspicious social-media profile with reused photographs
Same photo. Different profile?Trace suspicious images before you trust the account.
0published reports
0your reports awaiting moderation
17scam categories tracked
0sourced official warnings
Dangerous Lures & Personal Safety

Some scams are designed to get you to meet in person.

Fake dating profiles, fake jobs, marketplace meetings and other deceptive approaches can move from an online scam into kidnapping, sexual violence, trafficking, stalking, coercion or extortion. If the interaction is becoming unsafe, prioritise physical safety before ordinary scam reporting.

Open Personal Safety HelpPrivate Safety Report

Immediate danger: call SAPS 10111 or mobile emergency 112. Scam Alert is not an emergency-response service.

Person checking a suspicious online profile before an in-person meeting
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Before you pay, borrow or invest

Check the provider — and check the right register.

An FSP authorisation is not the same as credit-provider registration. Scam Alert now gives you direct links to the official South African registers and explains what each registration actually means.

FFinancial advice / investmentsCheck the FSCA FSP registerCLoans / creditCheck the NCR credit-provider registerBBanks / depositsCheck the Prudential Authority
Check a providerPyramid & Ponzi scams
Illustration showing verification of financial advisers, credit providers and registered banks, with a warning about pyramid schemes
Important: a CIPC company registration on its own is not proof that a business is authorised to provide regulated financial services, credit or deposit-taking.
Person reacting to a major financial loss from a fraudulent investment, Ponzi or crypto scheme
Scheme Watch

Search reported Ponzi & pyramid schemes.

Scam Alert now tracks officially documented schemes and warnings with clear status labels such as regulator warning, court-recorded facts, asset forfeiture and criminal conviction.

Open Scheme WatchHow to spot a Ponzi scheme
New · ScamBot

Unsure what you are looking at? Ask before you act.

ScamBot helps visitors recognise warning signs, find official alerts, search Ponzi and pyramid Scheme Watch records, choose the correct provider register and start a private scam report.

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ScamBot
What looks suspicious?
“I already sent the money.”→
“Is this FSP registered?”→
“How do I spot a Ponzi scheme?”→
“I think this profile is catfishing me.”→

Recently added scams

Published reports are shown only after the moderation workflow is completed.

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Popular scam types

Quick access to the categories people most often need to check.

Official scam warnings

Current warnings and prevention guidance sourced from SAPS, banks, government departments, regulators and other trusted South African institutions.

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Scam Alert Visual Guides

See the warning signs at a glance.

Our visual guides turn common scam patterns into quick checks you can recognise before you click, pay or share an OTP.

Stop, check and then pay scam prevention guide
Stop. Check. Then Pay.

Verify who you are paying and why before money leaves your account.

OTP and banking scam prevention guide
Protect Your OTP

Never give an OTP to someone claiming they need it to stop fraud.

Suspicious link and phishing prevention guide
Check the Link First

Open the organisation's official website yourself instead of trusting an unexpected link.

Spot the warning signs

Simple checks can prevent many losses before money or credentials are handed over.

More scam-prevention tips
Recommended for Your Safety

Digital Safety Tools

Protect your devices, accounts and browsing with tools that reduce common scam and account-takeover risks.

View All Safety Tools

Need More Than a Report?

Request paid assistance for image tracing, profile authenticity, catfishing concerns, legitimate account recovery or vacancy verification.

Paid Service

Image Trace & Profile Authenticity

Upload profile pictures and suspect links for secure image tracing and analyst-led authenticity review.

Check a Profile

Paid Service

Catfishing Assistance

Evidence review, profile consistency checks and lawful open-source verification.

Request Help

Paid Service

Hacked Account Recovery Support

Help navigating legitimate platform recovery and escalation channels.

Request Help

Paid Service

Job Vacancy Verification

Check the employer, recruiter, vacancy source and application process before you commit.

Verify a Vacancy

Training & Awareness

Cyber Security Training for People and Organisations

Practical programmes for individuals, families, executives and businesses — including phishing, account security, fraud prevention, sextortion, AI deepfakes and incident response.

Explore Training