BEREA detectives are appealing to the public to come forward with any information about a fraudster who poses as a police captain and solicits money from his victims.
According to KwaZulu-Natal SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker, the scam artist uses a police officer’s photograph to solicit ‘donations’.
“The fraudster contacts businesses, pretending to be a captain in the South African Police Service, and claims that he works with a non-profit organisation (NPO). His modus operandi is to claim that he has been let down by his sponsors at the last moment and he requires 85 loaves of bread to feed the poor,” said Naicker.
ALSO READ: Kidnappers demanded ransom for son’s return, says Durban father
Naicker said that when the owner of the business agrees to the sponsorship, he forwards them a bank account number via WhatsApp, using a serving police officer’s picture as his profile picture to con the sponsor.
“He does not provide the sponsor with his NPO registration details and insists on cash instead of collecting the bread when sponsors make that suggestion. We believe that he has been operating in Ethekwini and surrounding areas,” he said.
ALSO READ: Water-shedding leaves residents high and dry
The SAPS are requesting assistance from anyone who has been approached by the fraudster, or anyone who is aware of his identity, to contact Captain Thamie Khoza from the Berea police station on 082 411 6408.
“We once again urge communities to be mindful of such scams and not to hand over cash to people that they have not met in person. There are a number of registered charities, and one should always verify their particulars before making donations,” said Naicker.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za). At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations. 
