PayFast, EFT, cash: the safest payment methods for classifieds in SA

South African classifieds scams almost always turn on payment. Pick the right payment method for the situation and you remove most of the risk. Here's a practical guide.

For in-person meetups

Cash on collection (R500 – R5,000)

Best for: small items, everyday transactions, low-value goods.

Rules:

• Meet in a public place — mall, shopping centre parking, even a police station parking lot.
• Count the cash in front of the seller. R200 notes have raised foil on the "2" — feel it.
• Beware counterfeit notes. If buyer offers "payment" in large denominations (R200), check them under good light.
• Never take a payment photo of hundreds of notes and share publicly.

Instant EFT (any amount)

Best for: mid to large purchases, any time you don't want to carry cash.

Rules:

• The buyer EFTs while you wait. You check your banking app (not their screenshot) for the money to land.
• Most SA banks — FNB, Absa, Standard Bank, Capitec, Nedbank, TymeBank — clear inter-bank EFT instantly during business hours. Off-hours: 30 minutes to overnight.
• Never release the goods until the money shows in your bank app as "cleared" — not "pending", not "in process".
• "Instant EFT" fees are paid by the buyer. If they complain about the fee, suggest they use their banking app's "Payshap" or "eWallet" options instead.

PayShap (any amount)

A newer SA payment method. Fast, cheap, works between most banks. As a seller, verify funds show in your app before releasing.

For online / distance transactions

PayFast escrow (where available)

Best for: higher-value items where you cannot meet in person.

PayFast holds the buyer's money in escrow. Seller ships the goods, buyer confirms receipt, PayFast releases the money. Fees are 3–5% of the transaction.

"EFT then I ship" arrangements

Avoid. This is the #1 SA classifieds scam. Either you meet in person, or you use escrow. A promise to ship after EFT is how buyers lose thousands every week.

What to never accept as payment

Red-flag payment methods:

• Western Union, MoneyGram — untrackable once sent. Classic scam method.
• Gift cards — iTunes, Amazon, any retailer. No legitimate buyer pays in gift cards.
• Cryptocurrency — unless the seller is crypto-literate and agreed up front. Scammers use "I'll send Bitcoin" as bait.
• Cheques — SA banks take 7 business days to clear cheques and they bounce. Never release goods until a cheque clears fully.
• "I've paid via my broker / my company / my father" — if the name doesn't match the buyer's name, something's wrong.
• Third-party payment services you've never heard of ("UberEscrow", "PrimePay SA", etc.) — Google them first. Most are scams.

Proof of payment scams (sellers beware)

A buyer WhatsApps you a screenshot showing "PAYMENT SUCCESSFUL — R5,000 to you". You hand over the goods. Money never arrives.

Reality: screenshots can be edited or fabricated. Banking "SMS notification" spoofs also exist.

Rule: only trust what YOU see in YOUR banking app. Not what the buyer shows you, not an SMS you received, not an email. Open your bank app, refresh, see the actual balance change.

Refund scams (buyers beware)

"Oh I accidentally sent you too much, please EFT R2,000 back". You EFT back. The original payment then reverses or disappears. You're out R2,000.

Rule: if a seller has "overpaid", they must reverse the original transaction — through the same mechanism they sent it. You should never be the one sending money to "correct" their mistake.

Tipping point: when to walk away

If a buyer or seller is pushing hard for:

• An unusual payment method
• Paying before meeting
• Shipping before seeing the money
• Using a third-party "service" to hold funds

Assume scam. There is always another buyer, always another seller. Your R10,000 is not worth a 40% chance of losing it to a fraudster.

Documenting every transaction

For any purchase over R2,000:

• Take photos of the item being handed over.
• Ask for seller's ID and take a photo.
• Note the date, time, and meeting place.
• Save the WhatsApp / email conversation history.

If anything goes wrong later, you have a trail. Good buyers and sellers are fine with this — shady ones get twitchy.