Tax season scam alert: fraudsters use fear to fleece taxpayers

As the 2026 tax season approaches, you are warned to be on high alert as fraudsters step up efforts to steal your money and personal information using fake messages related to the South African Revenue Service (Sars). Thetax seasonstarts next month and Standard Bank said scammers have started targeting taxpayers through SMSes, e-mails, WhatsApp messages and phone calls designed to create panic and trick people into handing over sensitive information. “Historically, criminals ramp up activity as tax season approaches with the sole intent of defrauding consumers,” said the bank’s head of fraud operations, client experience and risk execution, Marius le Roux.

He said fraudsters typically claim taxpayers are due a refund, owe a tax penalty or are being investigated for breaking taxlaws. “We’ve seen many cases where fraudsters send bait communication through text, e-mail, WhatsApp or phone calls,” said Le Roux. The criminals often pretend to be from Sars, the police, a bank or another government agency Le Roux said one of the most common tactics is an extortion scam.

Fraudsters contact taxpayers claiming there is a problem with their tax return and they could face legal consequences. To make the story sound believable, they often send fake documents that appear to come from Sars or other authorities. “They may try to scare you so you panic and follow their instructions,” Le Roux warned.

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Once victims are convinced, they are instructed to pay money to resolve the issue. In some cases, scammers claim the money must be moved to a “secure” account while an investigation is conducted. The criminals often pretend to be from Sars, the police, a bank or another government agency.

Another scam involves fake banking details. Fraudsters send messages claiming taxpayers owe money to Sars and provide bank account details for payment. The accounts, however, belong to criminals.

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