Scams & Safety Guides
Stay safe when you borrow. Learn how to spot loan scams on WhatsApp, social media and fake apps, why legitimate lenders never ask for upfront fees, how to check a lender on the National Credit Regulator’s register, and how mashonisas and loan sharks differ from registered credit providers. If something feels wrong, these guides show you where to report it.
6 guides
A loan shark lends at extreme cost, often without registration, and uses pressure or threats to collect.
Financial abuse is when someone controls, exploits or sabotages your money to dominate you.
A registered lender has registered with the National Credit Regulator and must follow the National Credit Act: assess affordability, show a written quote and stay within the legal caps.
A mashonisa is an informal lender who is often not registered with the National Credit Regulator.
A loan offer that reaches you first on WhatsApp is a warning sign.
Most online loan scams in South Africa follow five patterns: an advance fee before payout, phishing for your details, a clone of a real lender, a promise of guaranteed approval and pressure to act now.
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