Past Briefs
Every brief we've ever published, in case you missed a day.
Friday, 30 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Digital & Online Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to digital & online safety.
Thursday, 29 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Financial Protection: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to financial protection.
Wednesday, 28 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Fake TFG Holiday Job Posts Circulate on Social Media
Scammers are posting fake December holiday job adverts claiming to be from retail giant TFG on Facebook and WhatsApp. TFG confirmed these offers are fraudulent and warned job seekers to apply only through official company portals.
Tuesday, 27 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
SASSA Fires Corrupt Staff and Recovers Stolen Grant Money
SASSA has dismissed over 65 staff members involved in social grant fraud since last year. The agency is recovering the stolen money directly from the dismissed workers' pensions.
Monday, 26 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Phone & SMS Scams: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to phone & sms scams.
Sunday, 25 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Home & Personal Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to home & personal safety.
Saturday, 24 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Digital & Online Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to digital & online safety.
Friday, 23 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Financial Protection: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to financial protection.
Thursday, 22 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Scammers Impersonate Officials to Steal Savings from Seniors
A 77-year-old retired nurse lost over $400,000 (about R6,549,040) after scammers impersonated trade officials and undercover police officers. The cyber criminal group convinced her to hand over boxes of her savings over seven weeks.
Wednesday, 21 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Phone & SMS Scams: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to phone & sms scams.
Tuesday, 20 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Home & Personal Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to home & personal safety.
Monday, 19 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
How Online Romance Scammers Exploit Love and Hope
Investigative journalist Mariana van Zeller created a fake dating profile to study how romance scammers manipulate people. She found that scammers quickly target online profiles with intense affection and daily attention to build emotional dependency.
Sunday, 18 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Digital & Online Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to digital & online safety.
Saturday, 17 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Financial Protection: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to financial protection.
Friday, 16 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Senior Citizen Tricked by AI Voice-Cloning Scam
A 69-year-old senior citizen lost about R870,900 after scammers cloned the voice of a trusted community leader during an urgent WhatsApp call. Believing a friend was stranded and needed emergency cash, the victim handed the money to a courier before realising it was a fraud.
Thursday, 15 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Phone & SMS Scams: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to phone & sms scams.
Wednesday, 14 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Warning: Fake WhatsApp investment groups impersonate trusted leaders
The South African Reserve Bank warned the public about a fake WhatsApp group using Governor Lesetja Kganyago's name to offer investment advice. Fraudsters add people to unauthorized chat groups to trick them into sharing banking details or transferring money.
Tuesday, 13 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Reserve Bank Warns of Fake WhatsApp Group Using Governor's Name
The South African Reserve Bank has warned the public about a fake WhatsApp group using Governor Lesetja Kganyago's name to offer stock advice. Officials confirmed that neither the Reserve Bank nor the Governor offers investment advice on WhatsApp.
Monday, 12 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Home & Personal Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to home & personal safety.
Sunday, 11 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
WhatsApp Scams Warning: How Criminals Impersonate Relatives for Money
Criminals are increasingly using WhatsApp to trick South Africans into transferring money by pretending to be family members in an emergency. South Africans lost R2.4 billion to digital banking fraud in 2025 across 110,000 incidents, largely driven by social engineering.
Saturday, 10 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Beware of Fake SARS Tax Refund Emails and SMSes
As the 23 October tax deadline approaches, scammers are sending fake SARS emails and text messages offering false refunds. SARS confirmed an email offering a R48,900 refund is a scam designed to steal login details.
Friday, 9 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Digital & Online Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to digital & online safety.
Thursday, 8 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Financial Protection: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to financial protection.
Wednesday, 7 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Police Warn of Fake SAPS Job Offers on WhatsApp Demanding Cash
Police in KwaZulu-Natal are warning the public about fraudsters sending WhatsApp messages offering fake SAPS jobs. The scammers demand an upfront cash deposit of R7,500 to secure the position.
Tuesday, 6 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Two Convicted in Fake Facebook Vehicle Scam
Two men were convicted of theft after using fake Facebook vehicle adverts to lure buyers into a trap. Victims were confronted by fake police officers who forced them to surrender money.
Monday, 5 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Senior Citizen Loses RM113,550 (about R458,000) in Phone Scam
A senior citizen lost RM113,550 (Malaysian Ringgit, about R458,000) after falling victim to a phone scam. Scammers contacted the victim over the phone and tricked them into transferring funds.
Sunday, 4 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Phone & SMS Scams: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to phone & sms scams.
Saturday, 3 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Home & Personal Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to home & personal safety.
Friday, 2 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Warning: Unauthorised funeral policy deductions on SASSA grants
The FAIS Ombud has warned SASSA grant recipients about unauthorised funeral policy deductions taking money from their grants and bank accounts.
Thursday, 1 October 2026 💡 Good Habit
Digital & Online Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to digital & online safety.
Wednesday, 30 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Fake Aarto traffic fine websites target South African drivers
Fraudsters are sending fake SMS and WhatsApp messages pretending to be from Aarto about unpaid traffic fines [1]. They direct motorists to cloned websites to steal money and personal banking details [1].
Tuesday, 29 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Financial Protection: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to financial protection.
Monday, 28 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Beware of callers asking to view your phone screen
Scammers posing as bank staff call customers and ask them to share their phone screen. This allows fraudsters to see secret one-time security codes sent by the bank.
Sunday, 27 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Phone & SMS Scams: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to phone & sms scams.
Saturday, 26 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Home & Personal Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to home & personal safety.
Friday, 25 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Six Officials Accused of R2.8m Municipal Ghost Payroll Fraud
Six municipal officials, including a suspended municipal manager, appeared in court over an alleged R2.8 million ghost payroll fraud. The scheme involved unauthorized payments made through municipal payroll systems.
Thursday, 24 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Digital & Online Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to digital & online safety.
Wednesday, 23 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Financial Protection: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to financial protection.
Tuesday, 22 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Senior Saved from Fake 'Digital Arrest' Cyber Scam
Police intervened after tracing a money trail from a fake 'digital arrest' scam that targeted a senior citizen living alone. Officers reached the distressed resident, prevented further financial loss, and helped file an official complaint to hold the funds.
Monday, 21 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Phone & SMS Scams: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to phone & sms scams.
Sunday, 20 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Home & Personal Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to home & personal safety.
Saturday, 19 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Digital & Online Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to digital & online safety.
Friday, 18 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
South Africa Extradites Suspects in $6M Online Romance Scam [1, 2]
South African authorities extradited suspects linked to an online romance scam network to the United States [1, 2]. The group targeted over 100 people, defrauding victims of roughly $6 million [2].
Thursday, 17 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Financial Protection: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to financial protection.
Wednesday, 16 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Phone & SMS Scams: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to phone & sms scams.
Tuesday, 15 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Home & Personal Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to home & personal safety.
Monday, 14 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Australian Pensioner Loses R2 Million to AI Deepfake Scam
An Australian pensioner lost about R2 million after falling in love with a fake online persona. The scammer used AI deepfake technology, which creates realistic computer-generated images or videos of a person.
Sunday, 13 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Fake Bank Call Costs Pensioner R1.7 Million
A pensioner lost R1.7 million after fraudsters pretended to be bank staff updating customer records. Police have since arrested four suspects linked to the scam.
Saturday, 12 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
South Africa Extradites Six Suspects in $6 Million Online Romance Scam
South African authorities extradited six men to the United States for running an online romance scam. The group allegedly defrauded over 100 victims out of more than $6 million.
Friday, 11 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Alert Bank Manager Helps Stop Imposter Police Scam
An 87-year-old man was tricked by fake police into transferring money before an alert bank manager stopped further losses. Police intervened to protect the rest of his savings.
Thursday, 10 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Digital & Online Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to digital & online safety.
Wednesday, 9 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Protecting Yourself from Impersonation and Investment Scams
Scammers target older South Africans by pretending to be banks, SARS, or distressed relatives [1-3]. They use polite messages or urgent threats to trick people into sending money [2-4].
Tuesday, 8 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Financial Protection: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to financial protection.
Monday, 7 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Protecting Yourself from the Grandparent Scam
Scammers are calling people pretending a loved one is in trouble and needs money. Police urge everyone to stay alert and always verify the story.
Sunday, 6 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Fake computer warning leads to a $20,000 scam
An elderly couple lost $20,000 after following instructions on a fake computer alert. The scammers scared them into withdrawing cash and handing it to a fake official.
Saturday, 5 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Scam Alert: Fake WhatsApp Teaching Job Offers in Western Cape
Scammers are sending fake WhatsApp messages to teachers offering jobs in exchange for a fee. The Western Cape Education Department warns that these offers are fraudulent.
Friday, 4 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
SIM Swap Scam: How Fraudsters Steal Your Bank OTPs
A scammer gets your phone number moved onto a new SIM card without your knowledge, so your bank's OTPs go straight to them instead of you.
Thursday, 3 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Keep Your ID Safe: Sassa Warns Against Mall Scam
Sassa is investigating reports of people posing as officials to take photos of pensioners and ask for their ID numbers in shopping malls.
Wednesday, 2 September 2026 💡 Good Habit
Phone & SMS Scams: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to phone & sms scams.
Tuesday, 1 September 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Beware of fake South African Police job adverts online
Fake online advertisements are claiming that the South African Police Service is offering entry-level jobs. The police force has warned that these posts are scams.
Monday, 31 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Home & Personal Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to home & personal safety.
Sunday, 30 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Digital & Online Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to digital & online safety.
Saturday, 29 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Financial Protection: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to financial protection.
Friday, 28 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Phone & SMS Scams: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to phone & sms scams.
Thursday, 27 August 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Realistic video calls hide a costly online romance scam
An intelligent retired man lost $180,000 to an online romance scam. He was tricked by a fake digital mask used during live video calls.
Wednesday, 26 August 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Police Arrest 39 People Linked to Retiree Scams in Johannesburg
Police have arrested 39 suspects in Johannesburg for running romance and investment scams. These scams were aimed at stealing the savings of retired people.
Tuesday, 25 August 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Beware of fake police video calls: A senior couple's safety warning
An elderly retired couple lost their life savings of 30 Lakh Rupees after scammers falsely accused them of funding terrorism. The criminals used fake arrest warrants and continuous WhatsApp video calls to isolate and terrify the couple.
Monday, 24 August 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Pensioner Recovers $15,000 Lost to Internet Provider Impersonation Scam
A pensioner named Philip lost $15,000 after answering a call from a fake internet provider agent. With help from a local representative, he successfully went through the process to recover his savings.
Sunday, 23 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Home & Personal Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to home & personal safety.
Saturday, 22 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Digital & Online Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to digital & online safety.
Friday, 21 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Financial Protection: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to financial protection.
Thursday, 20 August 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Is a One-Time Password enough to keep your bank account safe?
South African bank customers are challenging banks over fraud losses, arguing that one-time passwords (OTPs) can be intercepted by clever scammers.
Wednesday, 19 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Phone & SMS Scams: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to phone & sms scams.
Tuesday, 18 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Home & Personal Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to home & personal safety.
Monday, 17 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Digital & Online Safety: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to digital & online safety.
Sunday, 16 August 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
WhatsApp adds a new smart helper to catch scammers
WhatsApp is testing a new tool called Scam Alert that uses smart technology to spot tricksters. It warns you about suspicious messages from people you do not know.
Saturday, 15 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Financial Protection: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to financial protection.
Friday, 14 August 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Keep your SASSA grant safe by updating your contact details
SASSA is using SMS messages to notify people if their grant is being reviewed in August 2026. Knowing the official schedule helps you avoid confusion and payment delays.
Wednesday, 12 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Phone & SMS Scams: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to phone & sms scams.
Tuesday, 11 August 2026 💡 Good Habit
Financial Protection: A Safety Reminder
A few good habits worth keeping close by when it comes to financial protection.
Saturday, 1 August 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Protecting Yourself from Online Romance Scams
An elderly widow lost over R14 million after being targeted by a romance scam on a dating site. Seven people have been charged for their alleged role in this fraud.