SARS Warns Public Against New Scam Using AI Technology

Pretoria: The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has issued a warning to the public about a new scam circulating via SMS and email that falsely claims recipients are owed a refund, directing them to a fraudulent website to claim it. Scammers are reportedly using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to create realistic email templates, making it challenging for individuals to discern their fraudulent nature. According to South African Government News Agency, these deceptive tactics involve sending false 'spoofed' emails that appear to originate from official SARS addresses such as [email protected] or [email protected]. These emails claim that the recipient is eligible for a tax refund and contain links to counterfeit forms and websites designed to mimic authentic platforms. The goal is to deceive taxpayers into providing personal information, like bank account details, which scammers then exploit. SARS has emphasized that it will never request passwords, one-time PINs (OTPs), banking PINs, or eFiling l ogin credentials through email, SMS, social media, or telephone. Taxpayers are advised to utilize only official SARS channels and verify the credentials of any tax practitioner before sharing personal information. It is crucial for taxpayers to ensure that a tax practitioner is registered before engaging their services, which can be confirmed through SARS's online portal. The public is urged to be cautious and follow several guidelines to protect themselves from these scams. They should not open or respond to emails from unknown sources and should be wary of any communication requesting personal, tax, or banking information. SARS has made it clear that they will never ask for banking details through post, email, or SMS, nor will they send hyperlinks to other websites, including banks. Additionally, SARS will not send .htm or .html attachments or request credit card details. For further assistance, taxpayers can contact the SARS IT Security team at [email protected] or consult the Scams and Phishing webpa ge on the SARS website. The Fraud and Anti-Corruption Hotline is also available at 0800 00 2870 for reporting suspicious activities.