Online Airline Ticket Scam Costs Woman R120,000: How a Fake App Hijacked Her Phone

Online Airline Ticket Scam Costs Woman R120,000: How a Fake App Hijacked Her Phone

The illusion of a travel deal turns into a financial nightmare

What began as a promising travel deal quickly turned into a financial disaster for one South African woman, who lost R120,000 after downloading what she thought was a legitimate app offering discounted airline tickets.

The womanwhose name has been withheld for privacy, spotted the advert on social media, complete with sleek branding and a “limited-time offer.” It looked trustworthy. She clicked the link, entered her phone number and email, and soon after, received a WhatsApp message guiding her to download an app from what appeared to be the Google Play Store.

The app promised exclusive promo codes. Instead, it delivered malware.

The perfect digital trap

Within minutes, her banking app showed two unauthorised transactions. In a panic, she contacted her bank and the South African Police Service (SAPS) just 27 minutes later, an impressively fast response time for a fraud case.

But it wasn’t enough.

By the time her report was filed, the stolen funds had already vanished. The bank refused liability, arguing that the transactions had been verified using selfie authentication, meaning someone or something, had used her phone’s facial recognition to approve the payments.

That “something” turned out to be the malware itself.

When malware learns your face

The National Financial Ombud (NFO) launched an investigation, uncovering that the app’s malware had gained remote access to her phone. It didn’t just steal passwords, it simulated her biometric identity to authorise payments.

“By downloading the app, she unknowingly gave cybercriminals full control of her device,” the NFO said.

The malware, according to the Ombud, was sophisticated enough to bypass banking security systems by exploiting biometric authentication tools, a chilling development in the world of cybercrime.

The Ombud found no evidence of negligence or system failure on the bank’s part and ultimately ruled that the loss stemmed from a third-party compromise, not bank error.

A growing threat in South Africa

This case underscores a troubling trend in South Africa’s digital fraud landscape, where scammers now use legitimate-looking adverts and fake Play Store listings to lure victims.

In recent years, similar scams have been reported on Facebook and TikTok, often using cheap travel, job offers, or investment schemes as bait. According to cybersecurity experts, these schemes thrive because users increasingly trust online marketplaces and messaging platforms.

Social media users reacted with shock to the case, with many admitting that they, too, had nearly fallen for “discounted airline” ads that looked real.

“Imagine losing R120K for trying to save a few thousand on flights. It’s terrifying how real these things look,” one user commented on X.

NFO’s urgent warning to consumers

The National Financial Ombud has since issued a clear warning: don’t download apps without verifying their legitimacy.

“Always use trusted sources,” the agency advised. “Download only from verified developers with strong reviews and a high number of downloads. Check permissions, and be wary of apps that request access to your camera, contacts, or banking details.”

As digital fraud grows more advanced, vigilance has become the best line of defence. Because in today’s cyber landscape, the next too-good-to-be-true deal might just cost you everything.

A South African woman lost R120,000 after downloading a fake app to buy discounted airline tickets. The malware-controlled app used biometric simulation to access her banking account. The National Financial Ombud warns users to verify apps before downloading.

{Source: IOL}

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