POLICE have warned of an ongoing bank-card fraud syndicate that is targeting the elderly in the Berea and surrounding suburbs. This after several cases of such incidents have been reported.
An elderly man (84) from Glenwood, Durban, who wishes to remain anonymous, could not believe the nightmare he was experiencing when he became the latest victim of bank-card fraud on Saturday (June 14).
He mentioned that it all started on Saturday when he could not access his usual banking app. “I wanted to perform a bank transaction when I realised that my login details would not log me in. After numerous attempts, I called the bank for assistance. It later became clear that my bank account was hacked, and funds were stolen,” he said.
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He later went to the bank to report the incident and found that the bank account was blocked, and he was advised to open a case with the SAPS.
By the end of the day, almost R35 000 was gone. According to a bank statement, transactions were done at various retail stores around the area using the victim’s credit card.
While at his son’s house, he received a call from an ‘agent from his security company’. The apparent agent said he needed to go to his premises to check a fault in their alarm system. The elderly man proceeded to his house to meet the ‘agent’. The ‘agent’, who wore the security company’s uniform, fiddled with the alarm system and made some notes and recommendations.
“While this was happening, a woman who identified herself as a police officer came over to the house. She wanted to assure me that the matter was attended to and requested that I hand over my cellphone for further investigation. A small, white car with one occupant was waiting for her at the gate. After our chat, they drove off with my phone.”
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“Later on, it dawned on us that I was scammed of cash and my cellphone. On Tuesday, June 18, we went to open a case at Umbilo SAPS. The police mentioned that there had been similar cases reported in the area,” he said.
He remembered that two weeks before the incident, a woman named ‘Phyllis’ from the ‘Bank Fraud Department’ called him several times, warning him of fraud and scams going around the area.
Captain Singh of Umbilo SAPS confirmed that a case has been opened, and the investigation is ongoing.
“Such cases are on the rise, and we would like to inform the public, especially the elderly, to remain vigilant. They should not hand over their banking details or cards to anyone over the phone. They must always do so through reputable institutions in case they need to update or change personal details,” he said.
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