My online partner wants to send me a parcel or gift from overseas. Is it a scam?
Almost always, yes. The parcel scam goes like this: the person sends you a "gift" of great value, a fake courier contacts you, and the parcel is held at customs until you pay a clearance fee, an insurance fee or a fine. There is no parcel.
The courier has a professional-looking website and a tracking number that works. The fees grow: first customs, then an anti-terrorism certificate, then a penalty for the cash inside. Everything is paid by EFT to a private account.
What to do
- Say no to the gift. A real partner accepts that.
- Never pay any fee to receive a parcel from a stranger. Real customs charges are not paid into a private bank account.
- Search the courier's name together with "scam". Fake couriers are reported often.
- Check the number and email of the "courier agent": they usually come from the same scammer.
- If you have paid, phone your bank straight away and open a case with SAPS.
Frequently asked questions
- The courier sent me a tracking page showing my parcel. Is that proof?
- No. The tracking page is part of the scam.
Want to know if there are warning signs about the person you're chatting to? Veritaza checks the photos, the messages, the number, the email address, the name and the ID document, for R99.
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