Motorists warned about new fine-paying SMS fraud scheme

Fines SA has warned motorists about a surge in fraudulent SMS messages purporting to be from authorities, circulating nationwide.

Take note

The company says it has seen a sharp increase in consumer queries linked to scam messages claiming motorists have outstanding fines that must be paid immediately.

These messages often include links to fraudulent payment pages that mimic legitimate municipal or traffic fine platforms.

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“We’ve seen a noticeable spike in motorists contacting us to check whether SMSes they’ve received are legitimate,” says Barry Berman, CEO of Fines SA.

“The messages look convincing, but they are designed to create urgency and panic. Once someone clicks a link and pays on an unsafe site, the money is gone, and no fine has actually been settled.”

Identifying the scam

In these scams, motorists typically receive an SMS or WhatsApp message warning of an outstanding fine or imminent penalties.

The link provided leads to a cloned website that closely resembles an official payment platform. A key red flag is that these links do not direct users to www.finessa.co.za. which is Fines SA’s only official website.

Payments made on these fake sites are diverted to criminals, leaving motorists financially exposed and still liable for any legitimate fines.

“The safest approach is to stop and independently verify,” says Berman. “Rather than reacting to a message, motorists should check their fine status directly through a secure, verified platform. If the link doesn’t come from our official website or app, it’s not legitimate.”

“With scam tactics becoming more sophisticated, verification is critical,” Berman adds. “A few minutes spent checking through a trusted platform can prevent financial loss and unnecessary stress. Our goal is to give motorists a safe, transparent way to confirm and settle fines, without the risk.”