Scam Message Checker
Paste a suspicious message and spot the warning signs
Paste a suspicious SMS, WhatsApp or email below and we'll point out the warning signs. Everything stays in your browser - nothing is sent, saved or read by us.
How to spot a scam yourself
South Africans are hit with phishing SMSes, fake SARS refunds, SIM-swap attacks and "you've won" messages every single day. The scammers are good, but they almost always rely on the same handful of tricks. Once you can name those tricks, most scams fall apart in front of you. This tool scans a message for them - but the goal is for you to recognise them without it.
The one rule that stops most scams
If a message asks you to pay money to receive money- a "release fee" for a prize, a "clearance fee" for a parcel, a "registration fee" for a job - it is a scam. Full stop. Real winnings, real deliveries and real jobs never work that way. The same goes for your OTP and PIN: no bank, shop or government office will ever ask for them. Anyone who does is trying to rob you.
The scams doing the rounds in South Africa
- Fake SARS refund: "You have a tax refund of R4,200 waiting. Click to claim." SARS never sends refund links - log in to eFiling yourself.
- Bank "account suspended": a link to a fake login page that steals your details. Your bank will phone you, but never ask for your PIN or OTP.
- SIM swap: you suddenly lose signal and stop getting OTPs - criminals have ported your number to drain your accounts. Contact your network and bank immediately.
- SASSA fee scam: "Pay R50 to unlock your grant." SASSA is free, always.
- Parcel/courier fee: "Your parcel is held, pay a small fee to release it." If you didn't order anything, ignore it.
- Job scams: a "recruiter" offers work but needs a registration or training fee up front.
If you think you've been caught
Act fast. If you shared banking details or an OTP, phone your bank's fraud line immediately (the number is on the back of your card) and ask them to freeze the account. If your phone lost signal unexpectedly, contact your mobile network about a possible SIM swap. Report the crime to the SAPS on 10111. Acting in the first few minutes is what limits the damage.
Nothing you paste into this checker leaves your device - there is no account, no logging, and we never see your messages. It runs entirely in your browser.