NADA Calls for Vigilance Amid Rise in Sophisticated Digital Vehicle Sales Scams

As rising living costs push more South Africans in search of affordable mobility options, the National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA) is warning consumers against a surge in sophisticated digital scams, particularly in the pre-owned vehicle space.

According to the South Africa Police Service, 147 149 commercial crime cases were officially recorded in the country between April 2025 and March 2026, representing a 2.5% overall annual increase in commercial and fraud crimes. Meanwhile, Global Anti-Scam Alliance reported that its 2026 study found that 85% of participants in South Africa had encountered a scam in the past year.

Compounding the problem in the retail automotive space is the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Scammers are now leveraging generative AI and digital manipulation software to produce realistic vehicle listings, official-looking dealership and banking identities, and even clone voice and video messages, making online vehicle fraud…