Discovery Bank has warned South Africans of a fraud tactic involving fake police officials pressuring banking customers to transfer funds.

The bank issued the fraud alert on Friday, 14 March 2025, flagging the new tactic used by criminals and outlining their modus operandi.

Discovery Bank said that fraudsters posing as police detectives call victims to inform them that they are linked to a fraud case before advising them to transfer money from their accounts.

“These fraudsters are calling, claiming your ID or cellphone number is linked to fraudulent activity and that fake accounts were opened in your name,” the bank said.

“They may escalate the situation by involving a fake senior official who pressures you to transfer money for the “investigation”, promising it will be returned later.”

Discovery Bank stressed that the SAPS would never ask for money to investigate or drop a case, and the calls often come from private numbers, which is not normal.

The bank warned that anyone, no matter who is supposedly calling, should never transfer money or share bank details over the phone.

If the police contact you, the bank advises that you verify their identity by asking for their name, station, and case number. Then, call that station back and look up their number to confirm the given details.

This form of impersonation fraud is one of several recently flagged by Some of South Africa’s major banks in 2025.

Standard Bank warned of a fraudulent WhatsApp group circulating on social media and claimed affiliation with an investment app called SBG SI Trader.

The app falsely claims connections with Standard Bank, SBG Securities, and other platforms, including SBG Securities Online Share Trading.

“We would like to alert you that this information is fraudulent. Please remain vigilant to avoid falling victim to phishing scams, cybercrime, or unauthorised access by fraudsters,” the email read.

“We encourage you to also be cautious of other social media, email, or phone (WhatsApp or SMS) communications requesting your personal information.”

Capitec also told BusinessTech that the most prevalent scams targeting consumers include authorised push payment fraud.

The bank reported that push payment fraud, in which victims are deceived into authorising payments to criminals, has become a notable concern for banks.

“Cybercriminals frequently impersonate trusted organisations, such as banks or service providers, to persuade individuals to transfer funds to fraudulent accounts,” Capitec said.

The bank stressed that this type of scam and various others currently circulating are causing substantial financial losses.

The SAPS’ latest quarterly report on crime statistics for South Africa has also noted an increase in reported fraud cases.

This was noted in the increase in commercial crimes, which include fraud, forgery of documentation, and uttering—the passing off or communication of a forged document.

According to SAPS statistics, the number of these types of crimes reported increased by 8.9% in the last three months of last year, ending December 2024.

The police department registered 36,446 cases involving fraud, forgery, and uttering, which is 405 cases every day in South Africa.

The South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) latest annual report showed a concerning rise in financial crime that has resulted in the loss of almost R3.3 billion.

SABRIC noted that these crimes, including digital fraud, card fraud, and contact crimes, continue to undermine economic growth in South Africa.

Additionally, it highlighted that cybercrime has seen the most alarming increase, with digital banking fraud surging by 45% and related financial losses rising by 47%.

Fraud reported on banking apps has become the main threat, accounting for 60% of all digital banking crimes and increasing by a staggering 89% year-on-year.

SOURCE:Discovery Bank warns South Africans of new police scam – BusinessTech