To keep you updated, We are publishing samples of some of the notices and messages scamsters are sending to the public using FIC branding and logo to dupe you into believing that the FIC sent you the e-mail.

Common tactics that scamsters will use to get you to part with your money include:

•     Promises of instant wealth
•     Asking you for your bank account details to deposit winnings for a competition you did not enter
•     Scare tactics and emotional messages to convince you to part with your personal details and money
•     Requesting you to pay a sum of money to release a large amount of pent up funds from a benevolent donor or organisation.

Be wary of these and similar types of messages and do not respond to them at all. Delete them and report them to your nearest police station. Remember, if the message sounds like a way to make easy money and too good to be true, it should not be trusted!

Also, if you have received what you think is a scam message, e-mail it to on scams@fic.gov.za and it could appear on our website to warn other potential victims.

Please ensure that you report this message to your nearest police station.

Read up on some of the scam messages that we have received from members of the public below: