Motorists warned amid spike of card cloning fraud at toll gates

MOTORISTS across South Africa are being urged to exercise caution when using bank cards at toll gates, amid a surge in card cloning incidents linked to toll transactions that have come tom light.

Ryan Thompson, of the Thompson Security Group, issued a nationwide warning, alerting drivers to a significant increase in card skimming that has occurred at specific toll points. 

"Thompson Security Group is issuing an urgent warning to South Africans using any of the toll roads nationwide. We are seeing a major rise in card cloning around the country at toll gates,” said Thompson.

In explaining how the fraud occurs, Thompson said, "You hand over your card at the toll booth, and it is secretly scanned by a device that captures all your card’s information, giving the fraudsters access to your bank account." 

"Usually, what the criminals do is that they put up fake devices over the original devices and use the magnetic swipe to take all of your data."

In response to the growing threat, banks are beginning to act. Nedbank previously announced that as of January 20, 2025, its clients were no longer able to swipe debit cards at toll gates — a move intended to curb cloning. 

"If you’re still swiping your card at toll gates, you are putting yourself at serious risk," Thompson warned. He advised motorists to take the following precautions: 

        - Pay with cash whenever possible 

       - Use the tap-to-pay option instead of swiping - 

       - Regularly check bank statements for suspicious activity. 

Echoing Thompson’s warnings was Richard Frost from Armata Cyber Security, who also emphasised that it was safer to make contactless payments.

Speaking on eNCA, Frost said, "Tapping your card is currently the most secure method to avoid card cloning." 

Both experts agreed that vigilance was key. They urged motorists to stay alert and protect their card details, by using safer payment options, especially when travelling. 

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