Motorists warned as cloned AARTO portals fuel surge in payment scams

South African motorists are being targeted by sophisticated scams that clone AARTO payment portals and use fake SMS and WhatsApp messages to extract money and personal data, according to The Citizen on 29 September 2026. The reports say fraudsters exploit motorists’ fear of licence blocks and penalties to prompt payments on fraudulent sites.

How the scams operate

The Citizen says criminals are cloning official AARTO payment pages and sending messages that threaten licence or vehicle disc blocks. These messages often include links to imitation portals and may offer a supposed discount for example a prompt to pay R250 to create urgency and push victims to pay on the fake sites.

Who is responding

According to The Citizen, the Road Traffic Infringement Authority (RTIA) is working with the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) on the scam issue.

Official guidance reported by The Citizen

The Citizen quotes RTIA guidance advising motorists to use the 16‑digit infringement number as a payment reference and to avoid providing bank details. The report gives the RTIA guidance as:

“Always use the 16‑digit Infringement Notice number as a reference – no RTIA bank account details are required.”

The only legitimate AARTO site

The Citizen reports RTIA emphasising that “The only legitimate Aarto website is https://online.aarto.gov.za; never make payments on any other site.” The same source also quotes RTIA saying:

“There is only one legitimate website for Aarto services. Motorists can verify the status of their fines or infringement notices by visiting the official RTIA platform.”

What motorists should do, per The Citizen

• Do not click suspicious links or pay on unverified sites.

• Do not share ID or banking details with unknown contacts.

• Delete suspicious messages and verify fines only via the official RTIA platform.

• Report scam numbers to your network provider and RTIA.

The Citizen reports that motorists can verify fines or infringement notices by contacting the RTIA National Call Centre at 0861 227 861.