As South Africans prepare to travel over the long weekend, concerns around payment card fraud are coming to the fore. These concerns are especially relevant at tollgates. The rising incidence of card skimming has resulted in financial institutions taking precautionary measures. They aim to protect clients from card cloning when traveling.

Several banks have opted to end magstripe transactions at toll booths as they’re vulnerable to overlay skimmers and wireless devices used by criminals to capture card information. Despite these developments, Visa’s latest Stay Secure study shows that South Africans remain confident in card payments. 

“With increased movement during peak travel seasons like Easter, we see a rise in opportunistic fraud, particularly card skimming at toll points,” says Lineshree Moodley, Country Head of Visa South Africa.

“We want South Africans to feel confident when they pay and that starts with awareness and adopting safer behaviours, like tapping to pay.”

The skimming surge has already triggered a rapid shift in payment infrastructure. Tap-to-pay is now being rolled out at toll gates along major routes such as the N3 and N4, following a successful pilot led by FNB and Visa. As of December 2024, many booths no longer allow swiping.

While concessions like SANRAL will continue to accept swiped cards until May 2025, the message is clear: swiping is on the way out – and for good reason.

Why tap beats swipe

Swipe cards (using magstripes) can be cloned by criminals using discreet devices at toll booths. These fraudsters often make small, hard-to-detect transactions that add up over time. By contrast, tap-to-pay uses EMV chip technology, which creates a unique transaction code each time and makes it nearly impossible to duplicate or reuse.

Visa’s security ecosystem includes advanced technologies like chip encryption, tokenisation, and AI-driven fraud detection – all designed to ensure that when consumers tap, their data is protected.

Visa’s tips for safe travel payments this Easter

• Avoid swiping your card and tap to pay wherever possible using tap-enabled cards or mobile wallets for greater protection.

• Use devices with biometric verification. Phones and smartwatches add a layer of security with biometric ID.

• Adjust your tap-to-pay limits and enable SMS notifications to track your transactions in real time.

“Trust is the foundation of every transaction,” says Moodley. “Whether you’re heading to the coast or the bush this Easter, you should be able to enjoy your journey knowing your payments are secure. That’s what Visa’s technology and consumer education efforts are all about – helping South Africans stay protected, informed, and in control,” she concludes.