Fines SA has warned motorists after a surge in fraudulent traffic fine SMSes circulating nationwide.

It recorded a sharp increase in consumer queries linked to scam messages claiming motorists have outstanding fines that require immediate payment.

These messages typically include links to fake payment pages designed to resemble legitimate municipal or traffic fine platforms.

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Fines SA stressed that it does not send traffic fine notifications via SMS.

“We’ve seen a noticeable spike in motorists contacting us to check whether SMSes they’ve received are legitimate,” said Barry Berman, the CEO of Fines SA.

“The messages look convincing, but they are designed to create urgency and panic. Once someone clicks a link and pays on an unsafe site, the money is gone and no fine has actually been settled.”

In these scams, motorists receive an SMS or WhatsApp message warning of outstanding fines or imminent penalties.

The link directs users to a cloned website closely resembling an official payment portal. A key warning sign is that the links do not direct users to www.finessa.co.za, the company’s only official website.

Payments made on these fake sites are diverted to criminals, leaving motorists financially exposed and still liable for any legitimate fines.

Fines SA advises motorists to treat all unsolicited fine-related messages with caution and to avoid clicking on links or making payments via SMS notifications.

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“The safest approach is to stop and independently verify,” Berman said.

“If the link does not come from our official website or app, it is not legitimate.”

The platform allows motorists to securely check and manage traffic fines through its official website and app.

It consolidates verified fine data from more than 250 municipalities, covering over 90% of traffic fine issuing authorities in SA.

Payments are processed through secure channels and paid directly to the relevant municipal accounts.

“With scam tactics becoming more sophisticated, verification is critical,” Berman said.