Manuela de Sousa (69) is no stranger to visiting OR Tambo International Airport because she knows the place like the back of her hand and says she has always felt safe here.
However, a routine visit to the airport on May 10 altered the Crystal Park resident’s view.
De Sousa contacted the Benoni City Times after reading articles about con artists targeting shoppers at Lakeside Mall.
“It seems these people operate in every public space, preying on unsuspecting citizens,” she said.
Recalling the day’s events, De Sousa said she dropped her family off at the international departures section at about 15:00.
“We said our goodbyes, and I went to the third-level parking. It was 15:15, and I was grateful that all the parking payment kiosks were open.
“At the one machine, a man seemed to be battling. A well-dressed African man standing nearby told me to use another available machine. Nothing seemed untoward, and I appreciated a ‘well-meaning’ human’s assistance.”
After inserting her parking ticket and bank card to process the payment, the ‘Good Samaritan’ moved behind her.
“He told me to enter my PIN into the keypad. At that moment, I realised I was in danger and did as told despite the machine not prompting me to do so,” she said.
“Before I could react, he pushed my hand from the keypad, taking the parking ticket and my bank card.
“The suspect and the man using the machine next to me immediately exited the building, disappearing into the parking area.
“Within seconds, I started receiving alerts that my card was being used to make purchases. It was used for four transactions, which depleted my account in 17 minutes of R14 200.”
De Sousa says she immediately reported the fraudulent transactions to her bank.
“While on the phone, I started looking for airport security guards to assist me. It didn’t seem like anyone was stationed on the third floor, so I continued searching on the lower levels,” she said.
“A security guard finally assisted and took me to the ACSA security office.”
Distress
Reviewing the CCTV footage, De Sousa said the alleged suspects were seen leaving the parkade in a white Hyundai Venue with a registration paper stuck on the rear window.
“In the footage, one of the suspects is seen holding a mobile speed point, tapping what appears to be my banking card on the device and inputting the PIN,” she said.
“A case of theft was registered immediately with the SAPS office at the airport, and the footage was made available to assist the investigation.”
Despite this, De Sousa said that the incident has left her in financial distress, frustrated and fearful.
“Thus far, it seems the bank will not reimburse my hard-earned money. The feedback from them is that I supplied the alleged criminals with my PIN, and, sadly, I am just another victim of crime,” she said.
“I feel the bank’s fraud department does not believe that I felt that my life was in danger if I did not comply with the towering man’s demands.”
De Sousa describes the assailant as about 1.8m tall, slender and well-spoken.
While cautiously hopeful of repayment of the stolen money, she says residents must always remain vigilant of their surroundings.
“These criminals do not discriminate and will target anyone, anywhere, to gain access to their bank card, PIN, and, ultimately, money,” she said.
“It does not seem like banking institutions take reports like these seriously or that effective security is offered at public spaces such as shopping centres or the airport. We are being delivered to criminals on a silver platter.”
Several efforts for comment from ACSA have gone unanswered.
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