Police nab Pinetown WhatsApp fraudster
The suspect was arrested in the Intuzuma Magistrate's Court where he was appearing for another case, not related to fraud.
A 27-YEAR-OLD man from Tshelimnyama, Mariannhill who is suspected to be behind the defrauding of a number of people in the Pinetown area by promising them jobs, was arrested on Wednesday.
The man was arrested after police received numerous complaints about WhatsApp messages they received from a person who promised them municipality jobs at a cost of R3 000 per person.
Pinetown Cluster communications officer, Capt Mazwi Mbatha, said this fraudster first recruited a cashier from a food outlet in Pinetown and promised her a ‘rewarding job’ at eThekwini municipality.
“The suspect, who was liaising with the victim via WhatsApp, asked her to pay an amount of R3 000 via Spar or PEP Stores and then send the proof of payment to another man who was supposedly working at the municipal offices in Pinetown; as he was the one who was going to give her the job.”
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Mbatha said the victim only had R1 500 at the time and managed to deposit that amount and sent the proof of payment.
“A few days later she was informed by the same suspect that there are two more openings and she can recruit two other people as long as they were going to pay. Indeed the victim found two of her friends equally desperate for a job and they also paid R1 500 each,” explained Mbatha.
The three victims were told by the suspect to go to Pinetown Civic Centre to collect their uniform on 9 of February as they were going to start their new jobs on the 12th.
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“With great joy and much anticipation, the three ladies went to the civic centre to meet with their would-be employer. They met the suspect in Pinetown where he took a bag belonging to one of the victims. In the bag there were three cellphones, an ID document, CVs for the three victims and other documents. He left them standing by the gate and told them to wait while he goes to process their documents and he never came back. Instead, he solicited more money from the contacts of the victim through WhatsApp messaging on the victim’s phone. He was promising more people municipality jobs,” added Mbatha
He was arrested at Intuzuma Magistrate’s Court where he was appearing for another case not related to fraud. He was charged with fraud and common robbery.
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