Past Briefs
Every brief we've ever published, in case you missed a day.
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.
Monday, 10 August 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident
Protecting Your Money from SIM-Swap Scams
Nearly 60% of mobile banking fraud in South Africa is caused by SIM-swap attacks [1]. These scams cost the country billions of Rands every year [1].
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.