The Road Traffic Infringement Authority (RTIA) is urging South African motorists to exercise caution and vigilance following a surge in fraudulent Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) platform websites.
The authority said scammers are now using cloned payment portals, SMS, WhatsApp, and email to steal money and personal data from unsuspecting motorists.
“The RTIA emphasises that it is the only entity which is legally authorised to administer and process fines under the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act. Motorists are strongly advised to make payments only through verified and approved payment platforms.
“Motorists must always make use of the 16-digit Infringement Notice number as a reference, which does not need the RTIA bank account to make payments on the official payment platforms. These fake messages claim to be AARTO fines, often with threats of licence blocks, vehicle disc blocks, or additional penalties,” the RTIA said.
The authority explained that scammers are “sending various messages containing links urging recipients to pay R250 to qualify for a supposed discount on a traffic fine.”
“Always make payments only through verified and approved payment platforms. Don’t click on links to make payments. If you receive a message like this, delete it immediately, remain calm, and contact the RTIA directly for verification,” the RTIA said.
Watch out for:
- Urgency and Threats: Subject lines like “Final Notice: Action Required to Avoid Additional Penalties” or “Final Demand: Enforcement Notice” claiming your driving licence card or vehicle licence disc will be blocked.
- Fake Discounts: Messages falsely state you owe money and offer a 50% discount or “penalty fee waiver” if you pay within 24 hours.
- After-hours Delivery: Many are sent after working hours and on weekends to create panic.
- They also target times of the month when clients are likely to have money in their bank accounts, such as the 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, or 31st.
- Cloned Websites: “Please be cautious of fraudulent websites pretending to be the official AARTO website. These fake sites may be used to scam the public and steal personal or payment information.”
- Be on the lookout for Typos and Wrong Names on fake websites: E.g., signed by “NATS Online Vehicle License Disc Renewal” – a misspelling of eNATIS.
Do not:
- Click any link in an SMS/WhatsApp/email about AARTO fines.
- Make payments on any site other than AARTO official payment platforms.
- Share ID numbers, licence details, or banking details.
Do:
- Ignore and delete the message.
- Make payments on official payment platforms.
- Verify your AARTO status ONLY via official channels.
- Report the scam number/link to your network provider and to RTIA.
“The only official AARTO website is https://online.aarto.gov.za. Do not make payments or provide personal details on any other website claiming to be AARTO. All other links, .com, .co.za, and .online domains claiming to be AARTO are fraudulent.
“The RTIA remains committed to providing a secure environment for motorists to manage their traffic infringements and urges everyone to remain vigilant against these digital scams.
“To ensure your information remains secure, the public is reminded that 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 at https://online.aarto.gov.za,” the RTIA said.
