Starter pack
R99 once-off
R9.90 per check
For a landlord or agent checking two or three applicants.
- 10 checks
- Valid for 90 days
- Full report + PDF export
- Email support
Is this proof of payment real? Check the PDF before you release the goods
A proof of payment shows that the buyer says they paid. It is not the money. Check the PDF for signs of editing, and hand over the goods only once the payment shows in your own account.
Why a proof of payment is not enough
Buyers often send a proof of payment by WhatsApp or email and ask to collect straight away. The document comes from the buyer’s side, not yours. It does not show that the money has reached your account, and an edited PDF looks exactly like a real one on screen.
Only a PDF can be checked. If you were sent a screenshot or a photo, ask the buyer for the PDF their banking app produced. Some banks also offer their own check: Capitec, for example, prints a QR code on its proofs of payment that you can scan with the SkyQR app (Capitec).
The definitive check is your own account. Open your banking app and confirm that the money has cleared before anything leaves your hands. A payment between different banks can take time to show, so agree with the buyer that you release the goods once it does.
Before and after
Before
A buyer arrives to collect a second-hand fridge and sends a PDF proof of payment on WhatsApp. The amount and the account look right, so the seller hands it over. Two days later, nothing has arrived in the account.
With Atomara
The seller uploads the PDF first, and the report shows in seconds whether the file carries signs of editing. Whatever it says, the seller opens their own banking app and releases the fridge only once the money shows.
Check the PDF you were sent
Upload the file exactly as you received it. The result appears on screen in seconds, and your first 3 checks are free once you confirm your email.
What you get
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A verdict in plain words
Whether the PDF shows signs of editing, on screen within seconds.
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A score where one applies
Files that can be scored get one. A scan or photo saved as a PDF gets a report without a score.
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A PDF report
Export the report and keep it with your record of the sale.
Which plan fits
Most sellers need only the occasional check. Start with the 3 free checks. The Starter pack covers a few sales over three months.
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Proof of payment questions
Can I check a screenshot of a proof of payment?
No. Only PDF files can be uploaded. Ask the buyer for the PDF their banking app produced, sent to you directly.
Does a clean result mean I have been paid?
No. A clean result means no signs of editing were found in the file. It does not confirm the payment or the bank that issued the document. Only your own account shows whether the money arrived.
The report shows signs of editing. What should I do?
Do not release the goods. Tell the buyer you will hand them over once the payment shows in your account. If you believe someone tried to defraud you, report it to your bank and to the South African Police Service.
Can the bank confirm a proof of payment?
Some banks offer a check of their own. Capitec, for example, puts a QR code on its proofs of payment that you can scan with the SkyQR app. Whatever the bank, your own banking app remains the final word.
What happens to the file I upload?
It is used only to produce your report, processed outside South Africa and deleted automatically within 30 days. See the POPIA section of our Privacy Policy.
Receive proofs of payment every week?
Tell us roughly how many you check a month and we will suggest a plan. We reply within one business day.