Spam Calls Surge in South Africa: Why Apps, Laws, and Tech Fixes Aren’t Enough
South Africans now face record‑high spam and scam calls, even with Truecaller, Samsung Smart Call and tougher POPIA rules. Here’s why the menace persists and how to fight back.
How Bad Is the Problem?
Ask anyone with a South African cellphone and they’ll confirm it: nuisance calls are multiplying. TechCentral’s latest report bluntly declares the “spam call epidemic is getting worse by the day.”
Globally, Truecaller logged 56 billion spam or fraud calls in 2024 and says it now serves 450 million monthly users. South Africa consistently ranks in the world’s top ten most‑targeted nations for voice scams.
Third‑Party Apps: Helpful, but Under Fire
For many, crowd‑sourced blockers such as Truecaller are the first line of defence. They work by comparing every unknown number against a constantly updated community database. Yet the Information Regulator opened a POPIA compliance probe into Truecaller in November 2024, questioning how the app handles users’ personal data, casting doubt on its long‑term availability.
Device‑Native Shields: Samsung vs Apple
- Samsung Smart Call (built into many Galaxy devices) flashes on‑screen warnings for suspected fraud and lets you bar or report offenders with a tap.
- Apple iOS 26 Call Screening—announced at WWDC 25—routes unknown calls to an on‑device AI bot that asks “Why are you calling?” before your phone even rings, then shows the response as live captions so you can decide whether to pick up. The feature lands with iOS 26 this spring.
While native tools earn more trust (no third‑party data sharing), their spam databases are still smaller than Truecaller’s, limiting accuracy, especially on iPhone, where deep third‑party integration is constrained.
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Tougher Laws—But New Loopholes
In April 2025, the Information Regulator amended POPIA regulations to force direct marketers to obtain recorded, verifiable consent before every sales call. “Opt‑out” no longer counts as valid consent, and marketers must keep recordings on hand if a consumer demands deletion of their data.
Yet scammers spoof numbers, hop between cheap VoIP routes and target fresh SIMs before any blacklist updates—so the bad calls still slip through.
Why the Calls Keep Coming
- Low cost & high conversion – Bulk VoIP minutes remain cheap; even a 1 % “hit rate” is profitable.
- Number spoofing – Overseas fraudsters pose as local banks to dodge detection.
- Fragmented enforcement – POPIA fines bite after the fact; they don’t block calls in real time.
- Database churn – Telemarketers constantly rotate numbers to evade app‑based blocking.
What You Can Do Right Now
- Enable native filters: Turn on Samsung Smart Call or iOS Call Screening as soon as the update drops.
- Use a reputable blocker: Until regulators decide otherwise, Truecaller still catches most cold‑callers.
- Leverage POPIA rights: Formally demand any company cease processing your number for marketing (section 11 & 69).
- Report offenders: Lodge complaints with the Information Regulator and WASPA; repeat violators do face fines.
- Never share OTPs or banking info: The majority of South African voice scams revolve around “account verification.”
Network‑Level Authentication
International carriers are rolling out the STIR/SHAKEN caller‑ID authentication framework; it digitally signs every SIP call to prove the caller’s identity and expose spoofed numbers. Adoption is patchy outside North America, but local telcos are studying similar standards—an essential next step if South Africa hopes to stem the tide.
Apps, handset features and stricter laws each plug part of the leak—but none alone can drain the flood. Until the telecom industry, regulators and consumers move in lock‑step (with tech like STIR/SHAKEN and aggressive POPIA enforcement), South Africans should brace for more unwanted rings—and keep those blockers switched on.