Arriving jet-lagged at Cape Town International Airport? Watch out. Scammers posing as Uber drivers are reportedly hitting tourists with charges of up to R25,000 (roughly £1,000) for trips that should cost a few hundred rand.
The scam works like this: men wearing reflective vests and carrying fake ID cards wait near the airport exits and offer rides to arriving passengers. Some tell travellers the official e-hailing pickup zone is too far away and encourage them to cancel their app bookings and take an unsolicited ride instead. Once inside, the real sting happens at payment - a fare of R250 can reportedly become R25,000 if the passenger taps their card without checking the terminal's displayed amount.
The details come via an ACSA contractor who moonlights as an e-hailing driver and spoke to MyBroadband. He claims some of the individuals belong to a network of former and current metered-taxi drivers. One victim, a 70-year-old British tourist, was charged £800 (about R17,690) for an airport trip. When she challenged the driver, he blamed a mistaken entry and promised a refund through his "manager" - she flew home without her money, despite filing a police case. Another passenger who questioned a R10,000 charge on a roughly R200 journey was met with aggression.
Airport authorities have posted warning signs advising travellers to refuse unsolicited transport offers, though some of those signs have reportedly been removed. The problem gained wider attention after a TikTok video on the scam circulated earlier in 2026. Beyond the financial hit, the contractor says some visitors have told him the experience put them off returning to South Africa altogether.
How to protect yourself: book through the official app, walk to the designated pickup area even if it feels like a trek, and match the driver's face and vehicle registration to your booking before getting in. Before tapping your card, check the amount on the terminal - if it doesn't match your fare, stop the transaction and ask official airport staff for help. Never accept a ride from someone who approaches you at arrivals, no matter how official they look.
For anyone planning a Cape Town trip, this shouldn't put you off - it's one of the world's great city destinations. But a little arrival-day vigilance goes a long way.
