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

Our take

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.