HILLCREST SAPS has sent out a warning to the community regarding the reality of human trafficking.
“Often, people who are involved in human trafficking, lure young girls and boys with money and then send them off to other countries where they become slaves of cheap labour or get involved in forced prostitution and drugs,” said Hillcrest SAPS communications officer, Captain Linzi Smith.
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Social media could also be used as a tool to lure victims, warned Smith.
“Youngsters need to be careful of befriending strangers on social media. With modern technology today, the criminal can hide behind any false identity and can meet you in the safety of your bedroom, behind a screen on the computer,” she explained.
She urged youngsters not to meet strangers from the internet alone.
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Scammers, she warned, also use the internet and social media to find victims.
She urged job seekers to conduct proper research before accepting any offers, especially when they seem “too good to be true”.
Adverts for lift clubs and room mates are also used to lure unsuspecting victims.
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