A new consumer survey has revealed a significant shift in fraud trends in South Africa, with courier and delivery scams now surpassing traditional phishing methods as the most common form of deception targeting the public.
The findings, published in the SpendTrend26 report by Visa and Discovery Bank, highlight how evolving consumer habits are being exploited by increasingly sophisticated fraud networks.
How delivery scams are targeting online shoppers
As e-commerce continues to expand across South Africa, more consumers are regularly expecting parcel deliveries — creating opportunities for criminals to exploit this behaviour.
Fraudsters commonly send messages via SMS, email, or messaging platforms, claiming that a delivery is pending and requires payment for customs clearance or final processing. These messages often impersonate well-known courier brands such as DHL or local services like The Courier Guy.
According to the survey, 46% of respondents reported being targeted by courier scams, compared to 41% who encountered email or SMS phishing attempts.
Victims who engage with these scams not only lose money on non-existent deliveries but may also unknowingly share sensitive banking details, exposing themselves to further financial harm.
Other prevalent scams identified in the study include investment fraud (38%), social media scams (33%), and phone-based schemes requesting one-time passwords (32%).
Fraud tactics evolve despite stronger security systems
Despite improvements in banking security systems, fraud remains widespread. The survey found that 63% of South Africans experienced some form of fraud in 2025, a figure largely unchanged from the previous year.
However, Discovery Bank noted that the nature of fraud is changing rapidly. Instead of relying solely on technical breaches, criminals are increasingly manipulating human behaviour through urgency, trust, and impersonation tactics.
Emerging threats such as QR code scams and mobile device compromises are specifically designed to bypass traditional safeguards.
The South African Banking Risk Information Centre has also warned that fraud operations are becoming more organised, functioning in ways similar to agile technology companies.
At the same time, consumer awareness appears to be improving. A large majority of respondents reported taking proactive steps to protect themselves, including verifying payment messages, avoiding saving card details online, and using virtual cards for transactions.
Discovery Bank has introduced an AI-driven fraud detection system known as TRUST, which evaluates transactions in real time based on spending behaviour and risk indicators. When suspicious activity is detected, users receive alerts prompting them to review the transaction before proceeding.
The bank reported that this system has significantly reduced fraud-related losses, with an estimated 85% decline in confirmed fraud on flagged transactions.
As digital commerce continues to grow, financial institutions and consumers alike are facing the challenge of staying ahead of increasingly adaptive fraud tactics.
Source: SpendTrend26 South African Consumer Survey (Visa & Discovery Bank)
