Quick answer: use this route first
End the call and dial the number on the back of your card. You owe a cold caller nothing, and a genuine bank agent will not object. The call is the most dangerous form of bank impersonation because it runs in real time: an email can be re-read and a message shown to someone sceptical, but a caller controls the pace, answers your doubts as they arise, and keeps you talking until the transaction is done. Verified 18 August 2026.
How the call is structured
These calls follow a consistent shape. Recognising the stage you are at is more useful than trying to judge whether the caller sounds genuine, because they will sound genuine.
- The alarm. A suspicious transaction on your account, often in another city or for an amount just large enough to matter. It puts you on the same side as the caller immediately.
- The credibility build. They recite details they should not know: your name, ID number, the last digits of your card, a real recent purchase. None of this is proof, because it circulates in data breaches, but it is persuasive.
- The reassurance. You are told you will not be liable, the matter is being handled, and they simply need to complete a security step.
- The pivot. The actual request arrives: a one-time password, a transfer to a safe account, or an app installed so they can assist.
- The hold. You are asked to stay on the line, and told to ignore any SMS that arrives. That message is your bank warning you about the transaction being authorised.
Stage four is where the call becomes unambiguous. Everything before it can be explained away; nothing after it can.
Why the number on your screen means nothing
The number shown on an incoming call can be set by the caller. Seeing your bank’s real switchboard number is not evidence, and checking it against the bank’s website will confirm a number that was displayed rather than dialled. This is precisely why the instruction is to end the call and dial out, rather than to inspect the number that called you.
- Wait a moment before redialling, or use a different phone. A call that has not fully disconnected can leave you speaking to the same person when you believe you have dialled out.
- Dial from the card, not the call history. Your recent calls list contains the number they chose to display.
- Ask the bank directly whether anyone has contacted you and whether there is any activity on the account.
The three requests that end it
- A one-time password. It authorises a transaction, so reading it out completes the fraud rather than preventing one.
- Moving money to a safe account. Banks hold no protective accounts for customers and cannot ask you to transfer your own money for safekeeping.
- Installing an app so they can help. Remote-access software gives them the device and the logged-in banking session.
You do not need to decide whether the rest of the story is true. Any one of these is sufficient on its own.
Urgent steps if you have already acted
- Phone your bank on the card number immediately and say plainly what was disclosed. Whether an OTP was given changes what they can do.
- Ask for the account to be secured and any pending transaction stopped. A recall only works while funds remain in the receiving account.
- Remove any app you were asked to install, and check your device for others you did not add.
- Open a SAPS case on 10111 or at a station and keep the case number.
- Lodge the dispute in writing with the bank, quoting the case number, rather than relying on the call.
Official reporting routes
| Body | Contact | What it handles |
|---|---|---|
| Your bank | The number on the back of your card | Securing accounts, attempting a recall, first priority |
| SAPS | 10111, or any station | The criminal case and case number |
| SAFPS | 011 867 2234, [email protected] | Protective Registration, free, if ID details were exposed |
| National Financial Ombud | 0860 800 900, [email protected] | Unresolved bank disputes, after the bank’s process |
| SABRIC | 011 847 3000 | Banking industry risk body, not a consumer complaints desk |
What information to prepare
- The time the call came in, and how long it lasted.
- The number displayed, noting that it may have been spoofed.
- Exactly what you disclosed, and at what point in the call.
- Any transactions you can see, with amounts, times and beneficiaries.
- The name and reference the caller gave, which is useful evidence even though it is invented.
What not to share
- One-time passwords, PINs, card CVV numbers and banking login details.
- Remote access to your phone or computer.
- Your identity number or address to an inbound caller, who should already hold them.
- Confirmation of a transaction you did not start.
- A transfer of your own money on a caller’s instruction.
If the issue is not resolved
Put the dispute in writing to the bank with your SAPS case number, setting out the sequence of the call and precisely what was disclosed and when. If the bank’s own process is exhausted without resolution, the National Financial Ombud handles unresolved banking disputes subject to jurisdiction, and will expect evidence that the bank was approached first. Expect a question about whether you authorised the transaction, since these frauds work by inducing an authorisation rather than bypassing one. Outcomes depend heavily on how quickly the bank was told.
Related contact pages
- Fake Bank SMS And Call Scams South Africa: the message version and why caller ID is meaningless.
- What Not To Share With Customer Care: the initiation rule and the complete safe list.
- Banking Scam Prevention South Africa: the limits that cap a loss before it happens.
- Fake Telecom Customer Care Number: SIM swap, which often precedes these calls.
- Report A Scam South Africa: the reporting sequence in full.
Frequently asked questions
The caller knew my recent transactions. Was it really my bank?
Not necessarily. Transaction details, ID numbers and card digits circulate through data breaches and are used precisely because they are persuasive. Knowing things about you is not the same as being who they say they are.
Is it rude to hang up on a bank?
No, and a genuine agent expects it. Banks train customers to call back on published numbers, and no legitimate process is damaged by you ending a call and dialling the number on your card.
What information should I prepare?
The time and length of the call, the number displayed, exactly what you disclosed and when, any transactions with amounts and beneficiaries, and the name and reference the caller gave.
What should I do if I cannot get help?
Escalate in writing with your SAPS case number and a full account of the call, then approach the National Financial Ombud on 0860 800 900 once the bank’s process is exhausted and you have confirmed the matter falls within its mandate.
Last verified 18 August 2026. Routes confirmed on saps.gov.za, safps.org.za, nfosa.co.za and sabric.co.za.