Beware of Scams and Phishing: Protect Yourself from Fraudulent SARS and Bank Emails

Fraudulent SARS Scams and Phishing

With the surge in cybercrime, phishing scams have become a growing threat to individuals and businesses alike. Currently, there is a huge increase in email scams circulating, and we’ve put together this blog post as a reminder to stay extra cautious.

How These Scams Work

Cybercriminals are randomly emailing members of the public with fake (spoofed) emails that appear to come from SARS, banks, or other financial institutions. These emails often claim that you are eligible for a tax refund or need to verify your banking details.

The goal? To trick unsuspecting taxpayers into entering their personal details, such as banking information, login credentials, and even ID numbers.

Some of the most common phishing tactics include:

Fake SARS emails from addresses starting with "returns" or "refunds", claiming you need to complete a form to receive a tax refund.

Links to fraudulent websites that mimic the official SARS or banking websites, designed to steal your login details.

Multiple scam attempts over time, where criminals extract small pieces of your personal information in different emails, slowly building a full profile on you.

🚨 Always be suspicious! Even if a request seems small or harmless, it could be part of a larger scam.

How to Identify a Scam Email

🚫 Watch Out for These Red Flags:

✅ Unsolicited emails from unknown senders.

✅ Emails requesting sensitive details, like passwords, banking info, or login credentials.

✅ Hyperlinks to external websites, especially those claiming to be SARS or a bank.

✅ Attachments with suspicious file types, such as .htm or .html.

✅ Urgent language, pressuring you to act quickly to claim a refund or avoid penalties.

What SARS Will Never Do

SARS has clear policies on communication with taxpayers. Here’s what you should know:

❌ SARS will never request your banking details via email, SMS, or post.

❌ SARS will never send links to external websites in emails or SMSs.

❌ SARS does not send .htm or .html attachments.

❌ SARS will never ask for your credit card details.

🚨 Received a suspicious SARS email?

If you receive an email saying that SARS owes you money or you owe SARS money, do not click any links or reply to the message! Instead, contact us and we will:

✔ Log into your SARS profile securely and verify any outstanding tax amounts.

✔ Generate an official SARS statement of account or a tax compliance certificate to confirm your status.

✔ Guide you on the correct process if you have legitimate SARS obligations.

How to Stay Safe from Phishing Scams

🛑 Never open or respond to emails from unknown sources.

🔒 Do not share personal information over email, even if it looks official.

🕵 Double-check website URLs before entering sensitive details. If unsure, visit the SARS or bank website directly by typing the web address yourself.

📞 When in doubt, call SARS or your bank directly using official contact details.

Stay Vigilant - Stay Safe!

At BNT Accounting & Taxation, we are committed to keeping you, your business and your information safe from fraud and financial scams. If you’re ever uncertain about an email or SMS claiming to be from SARS, contact us first before taking any action.

📩 Need assistance? Reach out to us today, and let’s keep your financial information secure and scam-free! 🚀