2 November 2026
As bargain hunters gear up for Black Friday on 27 November, fraudsters may be looking beyond your wallet, password, PIN or one-time password (OTP). They could be after something far more personal – your face.
The National Financial Ombud Scheme (NFO) is warning consumers about a particularly concerning trend in banking complaints: people being tricked into using facial recognition or selfie verification in ways that could allow fraudsters to gain access to their digital banking profiles.
As online shopping activity surges, consumers are being urged to think twice before following requests to verify their identity, even when the process appears legitimate.
Digital banking crime is rising
NFO statistics show that formal fraud matters closed between January and September increased by approximately 27.5%, from 2,389 in 2025 to 3,045 during the corresponding period in 2026.
Against this backdrop, the NFO is warning consumers about a particularly concerning form of manipulation emerging in complaints received by the office: a seemingly harmless request for a selfie or facial scan.
Consumers may be approached in shopping centres or other public places by fraudsters posing as representatives of legitimate businesses. They may offer access to a loyalty or rewards programme, shopping voucher, free airtime or some other attractive benefit.
As part of the supposed registration process, the consumer is asked to provide personal information and scan their face or pose for a selfie. The consumer believes the facial verification relates to the promotion.
In reality, the consumer may be authenticating something entirely different.
The fraudster may be using the consumer’s biometric verification as part of an authentication process to register or link another device to the consumer’s digital banking profile. If successful, the fraudster could gain access to the consumer’s banking profile from a device under the fraudster’s control.
Nerosha Maseti, Lead Ombud of the Banking and Credit Division at the NFO, says consumers need to change the way they think about biometric information.
“We take selfies every day, so being asked to scan your face may feel harmless. But your face can also be used as an authentication tool. Consumers should treat their biometric information with the same caution as other security information. If someone asks you to scan your face, particularly using a device that is not yours, stop and understand exactly what you are being asked to do,” cautioned Maseti.
The NFO warns consumers never to hand an unlocked cellphone to a stranger and never to approve a banking notification or authentication request they do not understand. If you did not initiate it, do not approve it.
Black Friday creates the perfect environment for social engineering
Maseti said Black Friday presents opportunities for fraudsters because consumers are searching for bargains and receiving increased volumes of promotional emails, SMSs and social media advertisements.
Limited-time promotions, countdowns and promises of heavily discounted goods can create a sense of urgency. Criminals exploit this by pressuring consumers into acting before they have time to question what they are being asked to do.
“Fraudsters want consumers to act quickly and emotionally. Black Friday naturally creates that sense of urgency, which can make a fraudulent offer seem more believable. Before clicking a link, making a payment, sharing information or approving something on your phone, pause and verify it independently. If it has to be now, then it has to be no,” said Maseti.
The NFO cautions that while selfie scams are an emerging concern, consumers need to remain alert to more familiar scams that can be disguised as Black Friday offers.
Fake websites and online stores
Fraudsters can create websites and advertisements that appear to represent legitimate retailers or offer popular products at heavily discounted prices.
Rather than relying on a link received through an unsolicited SMS, email or social media post, consumers should independently locate the retailer’s official website and verify the promotion.
Phishing and smishing
Consumers may receive an email or SMS claiming that there is a problem with their bank account, purchase, payment or delivery. The message may contain a link requiring immediate action. That link could instead direct the consumer to a fraudulent website designed to obtain banking credentials, card details or other personal information.
Bank and credit-provider impersonation
A fraudster may call pretending to represent a bank, retailer or credit provider and claim that a suspicious transaction needs urgently to be stopped or reversed.
The caller may then ask for an OTP, banking password, PIN or other confidential information. They may even tell the consumer to move money to another account to keep it “safe”. Consumers should end suspicious calls and independently contact their financial institution using its official contact details.
Social media bargains
Social media promotions for discounted goods, flights, accommodation and other products can also be used to lure victims. Consumers should independently verify both the business and the offer before providing information or making payment.
And remember: if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Protect all the pieces of your digital identity
The NFO cautions consumers against thinking that only passwords and PINs need to be protected. A fraudster may seek several different pieces of information or authentication before being able to access an account. Personal information, passwords, PINs, OTPs, banking approvals, mobile devices and biometric information can all be valuable to criminals.
Consumers who suspect that their banking information has been compromised should immediately contact their bank through its official fraud-reporting channels. They should also retain relevant information that may assist with an investigation, including SMSs, emails, screenshots and transaction information.
Where a consumer has complained to their bank and remains dissatisfied with its response, the consumer may approach the NFO for assistance.
“Black Friday shoppers should remember that fraudsters rely on excitement, urgency, fear and trust to get people to act without thinking. Your most effective defence is often simply to stop and ask what you are being asked to do.
“Whether it is an unbelievable bargain, a phone call supposedly from your bank or someone asking you to scan your face to receive a reward, pause and verify. Protect your money, protect your phone and, increasingly, protect your face,” Maseti said.
Contact the NFO
National Financial Ombud Scheme South Africa
Tel: 0860 800 900
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.nfosa.co.za
