South Africa’s largest retail bank by customer numbers, Capitec, has issued a fresh warning about a growing wave of scams involving malicious mobile applications designed to take control of users’ devices and drain their bank accounts.
The warning comes amid a rise in sophisticated fraud schemes that combine social media advertising, direct messaging, and human interaction to deceive victims.
Sammers exploit social media and fake support calls
According to Capitec, fraudsters are increasingly using platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to promote fake deals that appear legitimate.
In one reported case, a woman clicked on an advertisement offering free satellite television channels. After submitting her details, she received a call from someone posing as a consultant who guided her through installing an app.
The application turned out to be malicious software. Shortly after installation, her phone became unresponsive and shut down. By the time it restarted, fraudsters had already accessed her banking app using facial recognition and withdrawn funds from her account.
The bank noted that the victim had received a warning from her device about the app, but proceeded after being reassured by the caller.
Bank urges strict precautions as fraud cases rise
Capitec stressed that these scams rely heavily on social engineering tactics, often combining convincing advertisements with direct communication to build trust.
Once installed, malicious apps can grant criminals remote access to a device, enabling them to intercept sensitive information, bypass security measures, and authorise transactions.
To reduce risk, the bank advises customers to avoid clicking on deals that seem unusually attractive and to never download applications from links shared via messages or social media.
Users are urged to install apps only from trusted sources such as the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
Capitec also recommends ignoring unsolicited calls or messages offering assistance with app installation, noting that legitimate service providers do not operate in this manner.
The bank has invested heavily in anti-fraud technologies, including artificial intelligence-based alerts and real-time transaction monitoring. These measures have contributed to a significant reduction in client losses and the identification of organised fraud networks.
Despite these advancements, Capitec emphasised that public awareness remains a critical line of defence, as scammers continue to evolve their methods.
