On 15 April 2025, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) informed that scamsters were calling people and telling them that they had been flagged for sending suspicious packages internationally.
They intimidate people by threatening them with imprisonment for being in possession of illegal documents and drugs. They tell their targets that the matter needs to be taken up with the police, and the call is then transferred to what is purported to be an official government line.
People are advised to end the call immediately. If they continue with the call, the fraudsters will undoubtedly use scare tactics to further phish and bribe them. SARS Customs will not call people to request any of this information. If a client has ordered or sent a parcel, the company that handled the initial transaction will engage with their client. Information about importing and exporting, including postal goods, is available on the Imports and Exports webpages.
The Imports and Exports webpages are accessible at:
https://www.sars.gov.za/customs-and-excise/import-export-and-transit/