Advance-Fee Loan Release Scam

You’re told that a loan, payout, or “approved payment” is ready and will be sent to your bank “immediately” — but first you must pay a smaller fee (often called a release, processing, clearance, or compliance fee). Once you pay, the scammers either ask for more money because of “new problems,” or they disappear. No money is ever released.

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Advance-Fee Loan Release Scam example

How this scam works

  1. 1

    Step 1: You receive an email, text, or call saying a large payment or loan has been approved and is ready to be released to your bank.

  2. 2

    Step 2: They say a smaller fee is still outstanding (for example, a R6,000 ‘release’ or ‘processing’ fee) and must be paid first.

  3. 3

    Step 3: To make it believable, they may claim an “agent” already made a partial deposit on your behalf, or they’ll list a business address or website.

  4. 4

    Step 4: After you pay, they invent new reasons to collect more fees — taxes, delays, compliance checks — or stop replying altogether.

✓ Do this

  • Pause and verify: contact the company using the phone number on its official website you find yourself (not numbers in the message).
  • Log in to your bank or lender account directly to confirm any promised funds.
  • Talk it over with a trusted friend or family member before sending any money.
  • Report the message to your bank and your national consumer/financial regulator.

✗ Avoid this

  • Do not pay any upfront fee to receive a loan, prize, inheritance, or payout.
  • Do not trust emails sent from free addresses (like Gmail) that pretend to be a company.
  • Do not send money by bank transfer, gift cards, vouchers, or crypto to release funds.
  • Do not click links or open attachments from unexpected messages promising money.

Need help with a similar message?

Do not reply, pay, or use contact details in an unexpected message. Verify through the official app or website, then report what you saw so the Archive can connect related patterns.

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Quick tip: Verify independently

Don’t call numbers or click links in unexpected messages. Go directly to the company’s official site or app and contact support from there.

See common red flags