"The police" or "a court" is calling me: the fake officer scam

"The police" or "a court" is calling me: the fake officer scam

The phone rings and a serious voice introduces itself as a SAPS officer, an investigator from the Hawks, a court official or someone from the prosecutor's office. They say your ID number or your bank account has come up in an investigation into money laundering, drugs or fraud, that there is a warrant for your arrest, and that the only way to avoid it is to cooperate right now: by paying an "admission of guilt fine" or "bail", by moving your money to a "safe account", or by handing over your details. It is an impersonation scam, built so that fear stops you from thinking. The key point: no police officer and no court will ask you for money or passwords over the phone.

How does the fake police or fake court scam work?

The details change, but the script almost always follows the same steps:

1. The contact. A call (sometimes a recording asking you to "press 1 to speak to an officer"), an SMS or a WhatsApp message with a supposed court notice. The number on screen can be spoofed to look official: that proves nothing.
2. The accusation. They say your identity has been used for serious crimes, that a case has been opened against you, or that you have an outstanding fine or summons. They often know your name, address or ID number, taken from data leaks, to sound credible.
3. The pressure. They talk about arrest today, frozen accounts or a criminal record. They pass you to a "colonel", a "prosecutor" or a "magistrate" to add weight. They may send documents with the SAPS badge, the coat of arms and stamps that look official.
4. The secrecy. They ask you not to hang up and not to tell anyone (not your family, not your bank), because the case is "confidential" or because "people at the bank are involved".
5. The payment. They ask you to transfer your savings to a "safe account", pay bail or a fine by instant EFT, e-wallet or cash-send voucher, buy gift vouchers or cryptocurrency, install a remote access app, or read out the passwords and OTPs you receive by SMS.

There are variants with supposed Interpol agents or police from another country, or a combination with a fake bank official who "transfers you to the police". The goal is always the same: your money or access to your accounts.

How do I know the call is fake?

Any one of these signs is enough to hang up:

• They ask for money over the phone. The police do not collect fines, bail or fees by phone, let alone through e-wallets, cryptocurrency or gift vouchers.
• They ask for passwords, OTPs or your PIN. No authority needs your online banking password or a code sent to you by SMS.
• They threaten to arrest you if you hang up. A real investigation is not settled in one call and does not depend on you staying on the line.
• They demand secrecy, even from your family or your bank.
• They ask you to move your money "to protect it". There is no such thing as a police or court "safe account".
• They ask you to install an app or share your phone or computer screen.
• Real court documents arrive through official channels: a summons is served on you in person, usually by the sheriff or a police officer, not announced in an urgent call demanding payment on the spot.

What do I do if they are calling me right now?

1. Hang up. You do not need to argue or explain. Hanging up on a scammer is not contempt of court and it is not a crime.
2. Give no details: no ID number, no account number, no passwords, no OTPs, and do not confirm your address.
3. Do not pay or move money, even if they promise you will get it back.
4. Check it yourself. If you have any doubt, phone your local police station on its official number, which you look up yourself, or go there in person. Use another phone or wait a few minutes before calling: some scammers try to keep the line open.
5. Talk to someone you trust. Secrecy is their main weapon; saying it out loud usually breaks the spell in seconds.
6. Block and report the number, and keep screenshots or notes with the time, the number and what they said.
7. If you feel in danger, call the SAPS emergency number 10111, or 112 from a cellphone.

What if I already paid or gave my details?

Act fast; the first hours matter:

1. Call your bank's fraud line on the number on the back of your card or in the banking app. Ask them to block cards and access, and to try to recall or stop the payments made.
2. Change the passwords for your online banking and your email, and switch on two-step verification.
3. If you installed a remote access app, uninstall it, disconnect the device from the internet and have it checked before using online banking on it again.
4. Keep all the evidence: proof of payment, screenshots of messages, numbers, the fake names they used and any documents they sent.
5. Open a case at your nearest police station as soon as possible and ask for the case number. It is useful for your bank and for the investigation.
6. If they got your ID number, consider applying for protective registration with the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS), which alerts its member organisations that your identity may be misused.
7. Be wary of anyone offering to recover your money for a fee: a second scam aimed at the victims of the first is common.

You will find more about getting money back on our blog.

Where do I report it?

• SAPS: open a case at your nearest police station with all the evidence. Impersonating a police officer to commit fraud is a crime in its own right.
• SAPS Crime Stop: if you have information about the people behind it, you can share it on 08600 10111, the Crime Stop tip-off line.
• Your bank, through its official channel, if any money moved.
• The NoCall spam numbers directory, so other people recognise the number when it calls them.

Frequently asked questions

The number on the screen was the police station's. How can it be fake? Scammers can fake the number you see on screen (spoofing). An official-looking number does not prove the police are calling. Hang up and call the official number yourself.

Can the police phone me? Yes, for example to ask you to come in and make a statement or about a case you opened. But they will never ask you to pay, transfer money, give passwords or keep it a secret from your family or your bank. When in doubt, check by calling the station yourself.

What if I really do have an outstanding fine or summons? Real fines and summonses come through official channels and are paid or answered through official channels you can check yourself. Nothing real is lost by hanging up and checking.

They called and I hung up without giving anything. Should I do anything else? Block the number, report it and warn your family, especially older relatives, who are frequent targets. If they knew your name or ID number, stay alert for further attempts.

In short

Neither the police, nor a court, nor a prosecutor will demand money, passwords or secrecy from you over the phone. Faced with a call like this: hang up, do not pay, do not give details, check by phoning the station yourself and, if you have already fallen for it, call your bank's fraud line and open a case. NoCall can warn you about numbers already reported by other users, and every number you report in the spam numbers directory helps the next person hang up in time.