SARS Notification: REG_REGISTRATION_NOTICE

posted in: Email Hoax | 0

This email screams phishing (someone trying to get your personal information by pretending to be someone else).  So, what is wrong with this email?

  • What is SARS?
  • I am being addressed as a “taxpayer”, not by my name or last name – too generic.
  • the .za at the end of the email (……@…sars.gov.za) is from a domain from South Africa( granted, the sender can be using this to hide the actual location).
  • Inappropriate use of words in orange
  • Incorrect phone number format: 0800007277

From: noreply@sars.gov.za

Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2017 10:10 AM

To:

Subject: SARS Notification: REG_REGISTRATION_NOTICE

Dear Taxpayer, An important notification has been issued and is attached to this mail. Please respond or act as stated on the letter. Should you require any additional assistance please phone our SARS Contact Centre on 0800007277.


(File Name: REG_REGISTRATION_NOTICE_133626679.pdf)


As a general rule:

  1. If you don’t recognize the sender, don’t open or click on the link.
  2. If the email is from someone that you know but the email looks suspicious or too good to be true, don’t open it; confirm with your friend that he/she intended to send you the email by call or text; don’t reply to the email.
  3. Ignore and delete any emails that ask for your bank account information, SSN, driver’s license number, Passport number, etc.
  4. Don’t open any attachments from unsolicited emails, they usually contain a virus.
  5. Place the cursor on top of the link (Don’t click it!) to reveal the address location where the link will take you (the link may be displayed in the lower-left corner of the screen)