he introduction of a new online toll solution from FNB is reducing fraud related to toll road payment methods.
Traditional payment methods on toll roads were inconvenient for motorists and vulnerable to abuse and fraud. Fraudsters were, with little effort, able to abuse the system in various ways. There were limited ways to detect lost, stolen or cancelled cards, and the cards themselves were vulnerable to cloning. As a result, losses to fraud have been escalating year on year.
FNB’s new online toll solution addresses the weaknesses of traditional systems by processing payments made with EMV chip cards (credit or debit cards that contain an embedded microchip, which enhances security compared to traditional cards) immediately through an online process. The solution offers enhanced security, reducing the possibility of fraud and allowing users to keep cards or payment devices in their possession during payment.
Fraud volumes related to credit and debit cards have declined by over 90% since launch, with the number of cards associated with known fraud or abuse decreasing sharply. At tolls where the FNB solution has been installed there has been a near-total migration from swipes to contactless transactions for contact-enabled cards.
“Our online toll solution reflects FNB’s commitment to innovation that delivers real impact,” says Netsai Ngidi, product and solutions head at FNB. “By replacing outdated, fraud-prone systems with secure, real-time payment processing, we’ve not only enhanced convenience for motorists but also achieved a dramatic reduction in card-related fraud. This is a win for all stakeholders in the toll payment ecosystem — and it’s just the beginning. We’re excited to continue rolling out this solution nationwide in 2025.”