How to Outsmart Festive Season Scammers – Truecaller’s Guide to Safer Calls in SA.

Loading player...
GUEST – Mmathebe Zvobwo, Director of Market Development for Truecaller South Africa

The festive season may bring joy, travel and celebration but it’s also open season for scammers. As South Africans reconnect with loved ones, spend more, expect deliveries and wrap up the year, scam activity spikes dramatically. From fake courier messages and bank impersonation calls to holiday rental fraud and bogus competitions, scammers exploit the chaos and the emotional pressure of December.

We sit down with Mmathebe Zvobwo, Truecaller’s Director of Market Development for South Africa, for a conversation on how consumers can protect themselves from the surge in fraud that grips the country every festive season.

Mmathebe breaks down the most common scams South Africans face, explains why the country is such a hotspot for fraudsters, and shows how tools like Truecaller’s AI-powered scam detection, Verified Business Caller ID, and community-driven reporting are helping millions of users take the guesswork out of answering their phones.
11 Dec 2025 3PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

What South Africans refuse to cut from their personal budgets

Ahead of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s National Budget Speech on 25 February, new research suggests that while policymakers debate deficits and growth forecasts, South Africans are focused on something far more immediate, what they refuse to cut from their own household budgets. What does this tell us about how households view…
18 Feb 3PM 10 min

Call for Minister Godongwana to increase TFSA limits

More than a decade after their introduction, tax-free investment accounts were designed to encourage South Africans to save, offering a unique opportunity to build long-term wealth without the erosion of tax. Yet, according to Lizl Budhram, Head of Advice at Old Mutual Personal Finance, the current framework is in need…
18 Feb 3PM 15 min

Business Confidence Index (BCI) - January 2026

South Africa’s business confidence remains at levels not seen in more than a decade, according to the latest SACCI Business Confidence Index (BCI). The index sits at 131.4 in January 2026, up 11.4 points year-on-year, reflecting optimism among businesses as the country enters a new fiscal year. Joining Gugulethu to…
18 Feb 3PM 12 min

CPI January: Staples ease, meat prices surge

Paul Makube, Senior Agricultural Economist at FNB explores why some staples remain deflationary while protein sources surge, how seasonal and structural factors influence prices and what strategies the agricultural sector and policymakers can adopt to stabilise the market and support both producers and consumers.
18 Feb 3PM 13 min

CPI dips in January

South Africa’s inflation rate ticked slightly lower in January 2026, offering modest relief for consumers but masking persistent price pressures in essential categories. Data released by Statistics South Africa shows annual consumer price inflation at 3.5% in January, down from 3.6% in December. On a monthly basis, prices increased by…
18 Feb 3PM 12 min