What brands, banks and scammers hope you never find out
Consumer journalist Wendy Knowler on the labelling loopholes, contract traps, and scam tactics targeting you right now.
May-o! Maaaaay-o! New rules for the labelling of mayonnaise products
The Department of Agriculture has updated the rules for mayonnaise and salad dressings to make labels clearer for consumers.
By this time next year, brands will no longer be able to use the words “Mayo” or “Naise" on their products – they must be labelled as "Mayonnaise" or "Salad Dressing", with mayo containing no less than 52% oil.
To use claims such as “light", "lite", or “reduced”, brands will have to prove at least a 25% reduction in fat from the standard version.
For reduced-oil options, the minimum oil content will drop from 25% to 22%.
The danger of overconfidence behind the wheel
While 60% of South Africans admit to distracted driving, most believe they are "above-average" drivers immune to the risks.
This psychological phenomenon, known as optimism bias, convinces motorists that accidents only happen to others. MasterDrive CEO Eugene Herbert warns that overconfidence is a deadly obstacle to road safety.
When drivers use phones without crashing, their brains falsely reward the behaviour as "competence" rather than luck. In reality, glancing at a phone for five seconds at 120km/h is like driving the length of a rugby field blind. To save lives, we must bridge the gap between this perceived control and the lethal reality of distraction.
When planning your “happily ever after” pay attention to what will happen if you cancel…
When you book your venue, caterer, photographer, etc., you will be asked to pay 50% deposit. Most people oblige without thinking too much about it.
But you should, because wedding cancellation or postponement is common, for many reasons.
So it’s crucial that you interrogate the service provider’s cancellation policy, bearing in mind that blanket “no refund” policies are illegal.
There must be a sliding scale of refunds payable, from almost all if you cancel very soon after paying that deposit – whether the service provider gets a replacement booking or not - to very little to nothing if you cancel at the last minute.
Is your car financed? Best you get clued up on how fraudsters are targeting car loan customers
WesBank is warning of sophisticated letterhead scams where fraudsters mimic official branding to deceive vehicle finance customers.
These criminals use urgent, personalised documents to trick people into sharing sensitive data or transferring funds.
Common tactics include fake payment confirmations, fraudulent banking detail updates, and bogus arrears notices threatening repossession.
Scammers often strike during vulnerable periods, such as after vehicle settlements or holidays.
Red flags include unofficial email addresses, poor grammar, and aggressive pressure for immediate action. WesBank reminds customers they will never ask for PINs or OTPs. Always verify directly through official channels before acting on suspicious communications.
Just say goodbye
That’s the very simple advice for when you get a call from anyone wanting to discuss very personal financial information with you.
If they start by telling you you’re paying too much for your credit card, home loan, car and other repayments, and they can slash them by 40%, know they are trying to trick you into agreeing into going under debt review. End the call.
If they say they’re from your bank’s fraud team and need your help to stop fraudulent transactions, or the credit card department, offering to increase your credit limit – even if Truecaller identifies the call as from your bank - say goodbye immediately and phone the number on the back of your bank card to check.
Please spread the word.
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