Motorists targeted: Fake Aarto fine portals fuel surge in sophisticated scams | The Citizen

South African motorists are being warned to stay alert as sophisticated scams posing as official Aarto fine payment platforms surge, with fraudsters cloning websites, sending fake SMS and WhatsApp messages, and tricking victims into handing over money and personal data.

The Road Traffic Infringement Authority (RTIA), working with the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC), says criminals are exploiting motorists’ fear of licence blocks and penalties to push them to pay on fraudulent portals.

“Motorists are strongly advised to make payments only through verified and approved payment platforms. Always use the 16‑digit Infringement Notice number as a reference – no RTIA bank account details are required,” the RTIA stressed.

The RTIA emphasises that the only legitimate Aarto website is https://online.aarto.gov.za. Never make payments on any other site.

“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,” the RTIA said.