New Hijacking Trends in South Africa

Hijacking is listed among the most threatening crimes in South Africa with a 2,5% increase from the previous year. This shows that criminals still seek innovative ways to steal and hijack vehicles.

Fortunately, Cartrack is always a step ahead: with our fast and efficient recovery teams and impressive GPS tracking systems, we are committed to helping you recover your vehicle quickly and effectively.

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In this article, you will:

• Learn the latest trends that hijackers use

• Discover how Cartrack can help you, in a hijacking situation

• Find out how CarWatch can benefit you

• Know the current hijacking stats in South Africa

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Top New Hijacking Trends to Watch Out For

Criminals have devised new ways of hijacking. They won’t stop at nothing to get your vehicle, even if it means luring you through social media or pretending to be people they are not. Get to know these trends so you don’t fall victim.

Here are the hijacking trends:

• Facebook Marketplace Scam: 
  The South African Police Services(SAPS) has issued a warning over criminals who are exploiting Facebook Marketplace to rob their victims in South Africa. There are many ways that criminals prey on victims, be it through fake listings or simply pretending to buy from you and then rob you of your belongings instead, and in some cases, take your vehicle. 
  Earlier this year, police arrested a suspect who used Facebook Marketplace to defraud sellers of their vehicles. The suspect posed as a legitimate buyer interested in purchasing a listed vehicle, and after buying it, he reversed the money. 
  Criminals may also insist on test-driving the vehicle only to run off with it. By pretending to be legitimate buyers, they trick you into agreeing to drive the vehicle before they finalise payments and then run off with it.
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• Online Dealership Scams: 
  Car dealerships play an important role in the car buying or selling journey, so you must choose a trusted dealership to avoid scams that could lead you to lose money, your vehicle or both. 

  An unethical car dealership can scam you in the following ways:

  • Vehicle matching scams are used when scammers approach owners selling their cars and falsely promise to match them with 'definite buyers'.
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  • Trade-in scams: The dealership may undervalue your trade-in and then resell it at a higher price, leaving you with less equity than expected.
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  • If the dealership doesn’t handle title transfers correctly, you might find yourself still legally responsible for the vehicle after trading it in. 
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  • The 'virtual vehicle' scam involves fake shipping websites that promise to handle and look after your money. The fraudulent dealer may send you a cheque with an additional amount to ship the car. You pay for the shipping and send the car but the cheque will bounce.  
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  • Often, scammers hide behind bogus email accounts that provide no information about their whereabouts.
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  • The phone number provided is either faulty, remains unanswered or goes directly to voicemail.
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• Ride-Hailing Trap: 
  Criminals are now targeting e-hailing drivers. They do this by requesting a ride like a normal person would, when the driver arrives, they attack and hijack the driver.
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• Hijackings Near Schools:
  According to Arrive Alive, hijackings take place at schools when dropping off/picking up children. At this time the driver is usually distracted by the many children and vehicles already outside the school, so criminals use this opportunity. 
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• Fake Roadblocks: 
  ‍Thieves impersonate police officers -They dress up in police uniforms and sometimes put car decals on them with SAPS or Metropolitan Police Department stickers to make you believe they are indeed the real deal. 
  Imagine driving back home on Friday night after a good time with your friends when suddenly, you are stopped by what you believe are officers of the law: you will obviously cooperate and this will result in not only your vehicle being stolen, but they might also take you with them to clean your bank account. 

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How Cartrack's Solutions Stay Ahead of Hijackers

If you do get hijacked, Cartrack has your back. Our customers like our services so much that they voted us the Best Vehicle Tracking System in The Star Readers’Choice Awards. 

Our Mobile App has features that can assist you in a hijacking situation. 

You can share your location with your loved ones so they can easily know your whereabouts and assist you. Press the panic button so our Control Room can call you and immediately alert and dispatch our highly skilled recovery teams to recover your car. 

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Find out how you can protect yourself during a hijacking.

What if my vehicle gets taken in my absence? 

Our App has a feature called CarWatch: It does exactly what the name suggests, It watches your car! 

Don't leave your car's safety to chance while running errands at the mall. With CarWatch, you'll receive instant alerts if your vehicle is moved unexpectedly. Shop with peace of mind knowing your car is protected

Get peace of mind with Cartrack. In the unfortunate event of a hijacking, a tracking device can greatly improve your chances of a swift recovery. We encourage you to contact Cartrack today on +263 772 278 870 for a quote and peace of mind. 

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If you want to cover your business vehicles, email sales.hre@cartrack.co.zw or call 08677 000 401.

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FAQ’s about hijacking

Q: What are the statistics of hijacking in South Africa?

A: Stats SA has found that 287,000 individuals experienced hijacking in the past five years. Hijacking has increased by 2.5% from the previous year. 

According to the South African Police Services (SAPS), for the recent quarter (Q1 2024/25), two provinces experienced a notable year-on-year increase in hijackings. Eastern Cape (30%) and the Western Cape (17%).

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Q: Which day am I most likely to get hijacked?

A: According to Arrive Alive, motorists are most likely to get hijacked on Fridays. This is because they are usually more relaxed with a higher volume of vehicles on the road and traffic increasing earlier than any other day. 

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Q: How many cars get stolen per day in South Africa? 

A: SAPS found that approximately 65 vehicles are hijacked daily.