Fraudsters are stepping up their efforts ahead of the 2026 tax season
As the 2026 tax season approaches, fraudsters are ramping up their efforts to target taxpayers through increasingly sophisticated scams, including fake links, QR codes and messages designed to appear legitimate.
Standard Bank Group has warned that criminals are using SMSes, WhatsApp messages, emails and phone calls to impersonate tax authorities, with the aim of stealing personal and banking information or convincing victims to make fraudulent payments.
The bank warned that these scams often rely on fear tactics, such as threats of legal action or claims of urgent tax issues, to pressure people into acting quickly without verifying the details.
“We’ve seen many cases where fraudsters send bait communication through text, email, WhatsApp or phone calls. The communication sent may claim that you have a tax refund, owe a tax penalty, or are being investigated for breaking tax laws,” Standard Bank’s Head of Fraud Operations, Client Experience and Risk Execution, Marius le Roux said.
