“South African drivers, beware! Scammers are issuing fake traffic fines to catch you off guard! Always use AARTO approved collecting agents for your payments.” (Road Traffic Infringement Agency)
The national rollout of AARTO has again been postponed, this time to July 2026. Speculation is that we now won’t see the demerit system implemented before the middle of 2027, but both dates remain provisional until gazetted.
None of this should stop us from sharing with our families, friends, colleagues and staff this warning: Scammers don’t care about the delayed rollout date, they’re too busy stealing from harried motorists.
How to avoid being scammed
Beware of these common scams:
- Phishing emails, SMSs and WhatsApp messages. They can look exactly like official communications from genuine organisations – your local traffic department perhaps, or the National Traffic Information System (Natis).
- Links to fake payment portals and official websites, cloned to look like the real thing.
- Phone calls from helpful “officials”, warning you of “overdue” fines and kindly offering to guide you through a quick and easy payment process to avoid all the horrendous consequences of failing to pay.
These “ghost fine” frauds all take advantage of the confusion swirling around everything AARTO, and use a blend of threats (“If you don’t pay you face arrest and suspension of your driver’s licence”), incentives (“Pay within 5 days to get a 50% discount) and deception to con you into rushing payment.
Use only official, legitimate payment channels. If you aren’t sure, check with your local municipality (or ask us to check for you).
Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact us for specific and detailed advice.
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