Dealing with bank card fraud
Bank card fraud, whether involving a credit or debit card, occurs when criminals obtain your card details and use them to make unauthorised transactions, commit identity fraud, or sell the details to other criminals. You may notice transactions on your account that you did not authorise.
Fraudsters can obtain your card details in several ways, including:
Stealing your physical card.
Stealing payment information from a company where you have shopped.
Card skimming, where your card information is copied during a legitimate transaction and used to create a cloned card.
Social engineering, where criminals trick you into sharing your card details in person, over the phone (vishing), by email (phishing), or by text message (smishing).
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How do you know if you have been a victim of card fraud?
Signs that your card details may have been compromised include:
Your bank or credit card statement shows transactions or purchases you do not recognise.
Your card is repeatedly declined when you try to make a legitimate purchase.
Your credit card provider notifies you that you have exceeded your credit limit unexpectedly.
Your bank notifies you of changes to your account details that you did not request.
Approaches to dealing with card fraud
Contact your bank immediately - Notify your bank or card provider as soon as you realise there is a problem.
Many South African banking apps also allow you to report fraud, temporarily freeze or permanently block your card, and manage your card security settings. If you still have access to your banking app, this may be the quickest way to protect your account.
Your bank can:
Block or cancel the affected card.
Issue a replacement card.
Investigate the unauthorised transactions.
Monitor your account for further suspicious activity.
Ask your bank to:
Replace the affected card.
Block recurring fraudulent transactions where possible.
Discuss whether a virtual card would be a safer option for future online purchases.
Discussion the fraudulent transactions - When speaking to your bank, ask:
Where the transactions originated.
Whether the transactions were made locally or internationally.
Whether there is any additional information that may help you understand how your card details were compromised.
Watch for signs of identity theft - If criminals have obtained your financial information, continue monitoring for signs of identity theft.
You should:
Regularly check your bank and credit card statements for unauthorised activity.
Monitor your credit profile for accounts or credit facilities opened in your name without your knowledge.
If your South African ID number or other personal information was exposed together with your card details, consider contacting the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) to discuss Protective Registration.
Report the crime
Report the fraud to your bank immediately.
If money has been stolen, your card has been cloned, or your personal information has been misused, report the matter to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and request a case number.
If you believe your identity information has also been compromised, consider contacting the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) for advice or to discuss Protective Registration.
How to avoid being a victim of card fraud
You can reduce the risk of future card fraud by following these recommendations:
Shop only on trusted websites. Check that the website address begins with https:// and displays a padlock icon.
Keep your computer, mobile phone and other devices updated and protected with reputable security software.
Avoid allowing websites to store your card details for future purchases.
Avoid entering your card details when connected to public Wi-Fi or using shared computers.
Only provide your card details to businesses you know and trust.
Use your bank's online card security features, including transaction notifications, multi-factor authentication, and any additional card security controls available.
Keep your physical card secure.
Never share your PIN and avoid using easily guessed numbers such as your date of birth.
Shield the keypad when entering your PIN.
Do not use ATMs or payment terminals that appear damaged or tampered with.
Avoid providing your card details over the phone or by email unless you are certain of the recipient's identity.
If you hear about a data breach involving a company that stores your payment information, check whether your information has been compromised. You can use services such as Have I Been Pwned to check whether your email address has appeared in known data breaches. Follow the company's guidance, replace affected cards if necessary, and change any passwords that may also have been exposed.
Regularly review your bank statements, credit card statements and credit profile for unauthorised activity.
Destroy old bank cards securely by cutting through both the chip and magnetic strip before disposing of them.
Shred paper copies of bank and credit card statements before disposal.
Close any unused credit card accounts.
Enable transaction alerts so you are notified whenever your card is used.
Where your bank offers virtual cards, consider using them for online shopping instead of your physical card. Many South African banks allow you to set spending limits, generate separate card details for online purchases, and temporarily block or unblock virtual cards when they are not in use.
Many South African banks also allow you to temporarily freeze your physical card, disable online or international transactions, and manage spending limits through their banking app. Consider using these features when your card is not actively being used.
Use digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Wallet or Samsung Wallet where supported. These use tokenised card details, reducing the risk of your actual card number being exposed during transactions and are generally safer than using your physical card for contactless payments.
Stay alert to phishing, vishing, smishing and other social engineering scams that attempt to steal your banking information.
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