Easy tips to help you stay ahead of scammers this tax season

TimesLIVE

2 days ago

Whether you are receiving a return or paying more than you would like, tax season comes with ups and downs and has become an easy way for scammers to strike. The advent of digital banking has made it increasingly difficult to avoid scammers who have made the platforms fertile ground for fraud.
According to the South African Revenue Service (SARS), one of the latest scams involves an SMS claiming the service is conducting an audit on your tax refund which leads to a malicious website designed to steal your information.
The lasting impact of scams underscores the urgent need for robust preventative measures. Meta is actively working towards reducing scams across its platforms by investing in technology and testing new tools to keep people's accounts secure, verify identities and prevent scammers from impersonating well-known figures or misusing their images.
Here are telltale signs the social media platform has noted:
Suspicious SMSes: Be wary of texts containing links or HTML attachments asking you to 'update' your password or bank details.
Always verify the sender: official SARS messages will never come from Gmail or other free email domains. Confirm the integrity of social profiles before trusting any links or requests.
Overpayment and refund request: A tax scammer may file a fake overpayment on your return or submit forged refund details, then request a partial refund. After sending the refund, they cancel the original (fraudulent) refund, leaving you out of the refund.
Unsolicited robocalls: Scammers may use automated calls pretending to be from SARS or your bank, pressuring you to share sensitive information.
Deceptive social media ads: Be alert to fraudulent advertisements on social platforms that claim to offer SARS refunds or services. These ads often link to fake websites designed to harvest your personal information.
Only send money to people you trust: Transfer money only to people you know and trust when using instant payment apps and check whether the app you are using offers purchase protection. If it does not, you might not be able to get your money back once you have sent it.
No organisation can tackle cyberfraud alone. That's why Meta partners closely work with governments, law enforcement and financial and technology institutions to tackle transnational scam networks.
Through shared threat intelligence, coordinated policy engagement under the Cybercrimes Act and community-driven education campaigns, the multi-stakeholder efforts have supported hundreds of investigations by specialised police units. By combining the strengths, legal development, joint operations, and public outreach, Meta and its partners are building stronger digital resilience and keeping citizens safer online.
Meta's global efforts to protect users from scams are ongoing. It said it continues to invest in cutting-edge technologies such as advanced fraud detection and advertiser verification, and share regular public updates so communities stay informed and secure.