'Friday Afternoon Fraud': The Conveyancing Scam SA Homebuyers and Renters Should Know About

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While the data here is British, this scam is directly relevant to South African buyers, sellers, and renters. Local conveyancing follows a similar process — large sums transfer at the point of registration, often under time pressure — making it an equally attractive target. South Africa already has a serious problem with banking app fraud and phishing, and the EAAB-regulated estate agency environment does not make consumers immune. For SA buyers: always confirm your conveyancing attorney's banking details via a phone call you initiate yourself, using a number sourced independently — not from the email thread. Never rely solely on emailed payment instructions, even if the sender address looks correct. For landlords and tenants: the same risk applies when paying rental deposits to letting agents. Under POPIA, your personal data shared during a property transaction must be protected, but a compromised email account can bypass those safeguards entirely. Your bank's account-name verification tool is your last line of defence — use it, and pause if anything looks off.