Standard Bank Black Friday fraud warning 

Standard Bank has warned consumers to be wary of increasingly sophisticated scams looking to gain access to personal information during the looming Black Friday and festive shopping season. 

This personal information is often used to defraud customers or make purchases using their credit card details without the card being present. 

Standard Bank has urged consumers to stay alert as scams surge in scale and sophistication, as these efforts ramp up in anticipation for increased spending furing the festive season. 

While fraudulent schemes occur throughout the year, the Black Friday frenzy marks the beginning of a high-risk period where cybercriminals exploit urgency, distraction, and the allure of deep discounts.

“During this peak shopping period, the threat multiplies as fraudsters prey on consumer excitement and rush,” Standard Bank’s Head of Fraud Risk Management, Adv. Athaly Khan said. 

“International Fraud Awareness Week arrives at a critical moment, arming the public with knowledge and encouraging a culture of vigilance.”

This follows on from Standard Bank’s previous warnings about a significant increase in extortion, email, and text scams targeting South Africans. 

These scams, particularly phishing, have become increasingly complex and are now targeting South Africans beyond banking and finance. 

Scammers are increasingly targeting individuals looking to make big life changes, such as changing jobs, entering university, or searching for a school for their children. 

This is intensifying into the Black Friday and festive shopping season, when clients are less vigilant and more likely to dismiss concerns. 

Individuals are also looking for bargains and are more susceptible to phishing emails or scams that offer big discounts on basic goods. 

In some cases, victims are even coerced into transferring money from their accounts to the fraudsters’ accounts using their banking app or an ATM. 

One of the tactics being increasingly used by scammers is fake non-compliance notifications to induce individuals to share confidential information.

Popular scams in South Africa

There are various scams to watch out for during this period, and fraudsters are constantly changing their tactics. But here are the common ones Standard Bank warned clients to watch out for –

• Card Not Present

Fraudsters may create fake websites or replicas of existing and trusted websites to trick consumers into sharing their card details, i.e. card number, expiry date and CVV.

Consumers will “shop” on the fake website, inputting their card details only for the fraudster to retrieve and utilise them. 

“Always verify website URLs and avoid clicking on suspicious links,” Khan said. She urges Standard Bank customers to enable free in-app transaction alerts and report any suspicious activity immediately to help prevent financial loss.

“Fraudsters are getting smarter, but so can you,” says Khan. Before entering your card details, pause and check the site’s legitimacy. Type the URL yourself. If something looks off, trust your instincts and shut it down.”

• Goods scams

With the known search for good deals, fraudsters put out deals that are often “too good to be true”. These deals are enticing and implore urgency due to their “limited offer”. 

Consumers rush to make payments, failing to conduct due diligence as they want to secure the deal. In many cases, the goods never arrive, or the quality is not what was promised. 

“If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you’ve never dealt with that seller before, it’s wise to reconsider the purchase,” Khan said.

She urges buyers to research the seller and avoid those who push for instant bank transfers. 

“Google the seller’s name, website, and reviews. Legitimate sellers provide clear contact details, including a working phone number, email address, and physical address.” 

“Only pay if the site uses trusted gateways like PayFast, PayGate, or Ozow, which offer buyer protection.”

• Phishing and smishing

Fraud is not always a single occurrence. Fraudsters may use this time to send out “bait” emails and SMSs, containing links or QR codes, disguised as Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. 

Consumers who click on the links or scan the QR codes may open their devices to being compromised, providing fraudsters with the opportunity to access their digital banking profile at a later date.

Khan advises consumers to pause and verify with the company before clicking any link or scanning a QR code. If unsure, call customer service directly. 

“Fraudsters thrive on urgency and excitement during this season. Ask yourself: Was I expecting this message? Is the sender familiar? Hover over links to preview the URL and watch for unusual characters like dots or dashes that don’t appear on the official site,” Khan said.

Even when no red flags are present, Standard Bank encourages consumers to use virtual cards, which come with a 100% fraud protection promise. The enhanced security features make it safer for online shopping.