Motorists are warned to be cautious when receiving traffic fine notifications due to an increase in fraudulent websites pretending to be official traffic websites.
The Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) states these fraudulent notifications are typically sent via email and SMS, and demand urgent payment to avoid penalty fees.
“Please be cautious of fraudulent websites pretending to be the official Aarto website. These fake sites may be used to scam the public and steal personal or payment information,” Aarto said. “Use only the official Aarto website. Do not make payments or provide personal details on any other website claiming to be Aarto.”
These electronic communications are sent to potential victims after working hours, especially on weekends. These messages often include links to fake or cloned payment pages designed to mimic legitimate municipal or traffic fine platforms. Payments made on these fake sites are diverted to criminals, leaving motorists financially exposed and still liable for any legitimate fines.
- Always verify your outstanding fines directly with the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA).
- Do not make payments or provide personal details on any other website claiming to be Aarto.
- Always verify the website URL before proceeding and report suspicious sites immediately.
Example of scam communication
The RTIA shared an example scam communication with the subject line: ‘Final Notice: Action Required to Avoid Additional Penalties’. The communication states the victim has an outstanding fine of R210 and that penalties have accumulated, bringing the total to R420.
“Important deadline: Please settle this balance within 24 hours to prevent a further increase to 645.00 ZAR,” it reads.
“By completing your payment today, you will automatically be eligible for a waiver of the penalty fees, which will be processed within 12 hours of the transaction.”
The email is signed by ‘eNATS Online | Vehicle Licence Disc Renewal’, which should immediately raise red flags due to the misspelling of eNATIS.
Another red flag is that these communications are sent electronically, whilst the servicing of Aarto documents has not yet been legally approved. Currently Aarto infringements are only served through personal means or registered mail.
‘Messages look convincing’
“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.”
Fines SA advises motorists to treat any unsolicited fine-related message with caution and to avoid clicking on links or making payments based on SMS notifications.
“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.
“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.”
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