Between January and June this year, Truecaller detected 17.47 billion spam calls, a sharp 25.2% increase from the 13.96 billion recorded in the same period of 2025.
South Africans are facing a relentless surge in digital fraud, with scammers weaponising caller‑ID spoofing. Picture: iStock
South Africans are facing a relentless surge in digital fraud, with scammers weaponising caller ID spoofing and artificial intelligence (AI) to make their schemes sound more convincing than ever.
Rising tide of spam calls
Truecaller’s 2026 South Africa Spam Report paints a stark picture of the growing threat. Between January and June this year, the platform detected 17.47 billion spam calls, a sharp 25.2% increase from the 13.96 billion recorded in the same period in 2025.
Consumers are fighting back. Truecaller users blocked 7.18 billion calls, representing a 58.6% year‑on‑year rise in proactive defence. Spam messages also surged, with 3.71 billion identified in the first half of 2026 – nearly 59% higher than last year.
The community reporting system flagged 559 million new spam numbers between March and June, feeding into machine‑learning models that can filter fresh threats within hours.
South Africans growing more cautious
Despite the sheer volume of scam attempts, South Africans are becoming more cautious. The proportion of answered spam calls fell from 10.2% in 2025 to 7.8% in 2026, suggesting that consumers are increasingly alert to suspicious activity and less likely to engage with unknown numbers.
The tactics are evolving rapidly. Fraudsters impersonate bank fraud departments, spoof local numbers and use AI‑generated scripts that mimic human speech patterns. This makes it harder for victims to spot deception in real time.
Voices of warning
“Scam networks are not slowing down. If anything, they are becoming more sophisticated, using spoofing and AI‑driven tactics to appear legitimate,” said Mmathebe Zvobwo, Truecaller’s director of Market Development for South Africa.
She added that the figures also show encouraging signs.
“South Africans are becoming better at identifying and avoiding suspicious calls.”
Truecaller emphasised the importance of community vigilance. When users flag suspicious numbers, the information strengthens protection for others. Its machine‑learning models now filter new spam numbers within hours, rather than days or weeks, giving consumers a stronger shield against fraud.
Regulatory crackdown
The fight against spam calls is not only technological but also regulatory. In April 2026, Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau amended the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) to protect South Africans from intrusive spam calls by opportunistic telemarketers.
According to the amendments, the National Consumer Commission (NCC) will be responsible for administering and maintaining the national opt‑out registry, ensuring direct marketers comply with registration and opt‑out rules, and enforcing action against any entity that contacts consumers in violation of their marketing preferences.
The amendments introduce “cleansing”, a process that requires direct marketers to remove consumers who have opted out of electronic communications from their databases.
This ensures that registered consumers are no longer contacted. Marketers must cleanse their databases monthly against the NCC’s opt‑out registry and are prohibited from marketing to any consumer who has registered a block.
Public frustration
South Africans have grown increasingly frustrated with telemarketing and spam calls, with many reporting companies to regulators. In September 2024, the Information Regulator announced it was close to finalising a guidance note to regulate the telemarketing industry.
Speaking during a media briefing, Information Regulator chairperson Pansy Tlakula said: “Direct telephone marketing is not illegal, but there should be a clear framework on how it is conducted.”
Together, the technological shield provided by platforms like Truecaller and the regulatory framework introduced by government mark a decisive step in protecting consumers. Yet, as scammers grow more sophisticated, vigilance remains the strongest defence.
