Recognise a payment demand
Fictional example for recognising a warning sign. This is not a RandHaven message.
“Your loan is guaranteed. Transfer a release fee today to receive the funds.”
- A promised approval before checks.
- Money requested to release or unlock a loan.
- Pressure to pay before you can verify the provider.
The NCR warns about advance-payment scams that promise a loan after you pay a supposed release charge, tax, insurance amount or other upfront fee. Requests may continue after the first payment, while the promised loan never arrives.
A disclosed charge in a written credit quotation is different from an unexpected demand to transfer money to unlock funds. Do not make the transfer while the request remains unverified. Keep the message so that you can explain exactly what was requested.
Match the name and registration
Check a provider through the official NCR register. Match the legal name, registration number and status rather than searching only for a familiar brand. If a number belongs to a different company, stop and seek clarification. A genuine registration number can be copied onto an unrelated website.
Use contact information you independently established. Calling the number in the suspicious message only puts you back in touch with whoever sent it.
Protect access and verify the sender
Do not share a banking password, card PIN or OTP with someone claiming to help with a loan. Avoid opening an unexpected banking link; use your usual app or type the known website address yourself. A padlock in the browser means the connection is encrypted, not that the business is trustworthy.
Be cautious when someone asks you to install software or let them control your phone. Verification should not require handing another person control of your banking session.
Promises of guaranteed approval, no checks or immediate debt removal deserve scrutiny. Take time to read the offer and check the sender. A logo, a professional document or knowledge of your name should not replace verification.
Compare the full website and email addresses with the official ones, including spelling and unexpected extra words. If a payment beneficiary suddenly changes, confirm it through a previously verified channel. Read security guidance before responding to a message that claims to come from RandHaven.
If you already responded
If you sent money or exposed banking access, contact your bank promptly through its official channel and describe what happened. Preserve messages, addresses, payment references and dates without sending further money to recover the first payment.
The NCR advises scam victims to seek assistance from SAPS and provides a route for checking suspicious credit services. You can also notify the organisation being impersonated through its genuine contact channel. Recovery is not guaranteed, but a clear record makes the incident easier to investigate.