South Africans are being warned of a surge in “express kidnappings”, where criminals target victims in everyday locations and force them to transfer money using banking apps. Picture Credit: TimelessNews
By Aisha Zardad
South Africa — A terrifying new criminal tactic is rapidly spreading across South Africa, with victims being kidnapped and forced to hand over money directly through banking apps on their phones.
Experts have identified these incidents as “express kidnappings” — a fast-escalating crime where individuals are abducted during robberies or hijackings and pressured or forced to unlock their phones, banking apps, and financial accounts.
The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) has warned that this form of kidnapping is becoming increasingly common across the country, marking a dangerous shift in how criminals target victims.
In many cases, these attacks are opportunistic. Criminals identify a target, act quickly, and immediately attempt to drain available funds. However, some victims are deliberately selected based on the perception that they may have access to significant amounts of money.
“Depending on the group’s sophistication, this can range from a couple of thousand rand to millions,” the ISS noted.
The rise of express kidnappings forms part of a broader and deeply concerning increase in kidnapping-related crimes nationwide. According to the latest South African Police Service (SAPS) crime statistics, nearly 4,800 kidnapping cases were reported between October and December last year — an average of around 53 incidents every day. Gauteng alone accounts for more than half of these cases.
Ruan Vermaak CrisisOnCall communication manager said the figures point to a growing and unpredictable threat, with criminals targeting a wide range of victims.
He warned that suspects often focus on individuals who appear financially stable, drive desirable vehicles, or follow predictable routines.
While some kidnappings are carefully planned, others begin as robberies or hijackings before escalating when criminals realise they can access a victim’s finances.
Vermaak stressed that many of these incidents unfold in ordinary, everyday environments where people are most vulnerable.
“They will kidnap them while they are actually stopped at the boom gate or at the security complex or even in the shopping mall parking area,” he said. “This happens especially while they are packing the vehicle with groceries in the back. There were a few cases like this reported at various shopping centres across Gauteng.”
In several cases, once criminals have emptied a victim’s accounts, they abandon the individual and steal the vehicle.
This alarming trend is closely linked to a surge in smartphone theft and digital banking fraud, with experts warning that criminals are increasingly targeting devices as direct gateways to victims’ finances.
Shopping malls and busy public spaces have emerged as prime hunting grounds due to the high concentration of people and vehicles, as well as the likelihood that individuals are carrying smartphones loaded with sensitive financial information.
The Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) has flagged a rise in cases where criminals specifically target smartphones to gain access to banking apps and drain accounts.
The National Financial Ombud Scheme (NFO) has also stressed these concerns, reporting a sharp 73% increase in digital banking fraud complaints — rising from 1,436 cases between January and May to 2,483 during the same period in 2025.
The NFO has further warned about growing risks linked to virtual banking cards, with one reported case involving losses of up to R500,000.
Lead Ombud for Banking and Credit at the NFO, Nerosha Maseti, cautioned that while virtual cards offer convenience, they are not immune to fraud.
“Fraudsters can create virtual cards and then use the virtual card credentials to perform transactions once gaining access to a customer’s digital banking profile after customers have shared OTPs or approved authentication prompts,” she said.
