Motorists are being warned of a steep rise in fraudulent “ghost fine” scams as criminals exploit confusion around the new Aarto system.
Aarto is government’s plan to try to remove habitual traffic offenders from the roads and will be implemented in phases from December 1, with the demerit points system coming into effect countrywide on September 1 2026.
Motorists are being urged to stay alert to criminals sending fake SMSes, WhatsApp messages and cloned websites that mimic official municipal and traffic fine platforms.
Fines SA said it has seen a noticeable spike in complaints from motorists who were tricked into paying non-existent fines.
“We’re seeing ghost fine scams spreading quickly,” said Barry Berman, CEO of the traffic fine platform. “The messages look legitimate with the same logos and wording but they direct motorists to unsafe websites. Once you’ve paid, your money’s gone and the fine stands. Fraudsters are exploiting uncertainty and the public’s urgency to comply before Aarto takes effect.”
The scams typically send victims a message claiming they have an outstanding fine and a link to pay “immediately to avoid penalties”. The link opens a cloned payment page resembling a municipal or aggregator site. After payment, the funds vanish, and there is no official record of settlement.
The new demerit system will tie traffic fines directly to licence points, with repeat offences potentially leading to suspension or cancellation. However, awareness remains weak with many motorists remaining unclear on how Aarto will affect their driving record. This is ambiguity scammers can exploit
— Barry Berman, Fines SA CEO
“The best way to prevent falling victim to a scam is by deleting suspicious notifications. As a motorist, you want to be proactive about your traffic fines and sign up with a verified traffic fines platform that provides a trusted overview of your existing traffic fines, sends you real-time notifications about new fines and offers secure payment methods,” said Berman.
The “ghost fine” scam takes place amid a rise in digital fraud in the banking sector. According to the SA Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric), digital banking fraud accounted for 65.3 % of reported incidents in 2024, with case numbers rising from 31,612 in 2023 to 64,000 in 2024, and losses increasing from about R1bn to more than R1.4bn.
Phishing attacks targeting corporate users surged by 134% in quarter three 2023 compared with quarter two and by 16% year on year, said Berman.
“The confusion around Aarto intensifies the risk. The new demerit system will tie traffic fines directly to licence points, with repeat offences potentially leading to suspension or cancellation. However, awareness remains weak with many motorists remaining unclear on how Aarto will affect their driving record. This is ambiguity scammers can exploit.”
He said services such as Fines SA, which is available online or as an app, counter this risk by offering a secure, verified alternative.
“If in doubt, stop and check. A few minutes of verification could save you thousands.”
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