Police are investigating a case of fraud after a woman from Ivory Park who runs a day care centre was scammed out of R20 000.
According to the police, in August this year, the woman received a call from someone claiming to be from the National Lottery and claimed that the grant she had applied for had been approved. The fraudster allegedly told the woman that she was due to receive a grant of R600 000 on certain conditions.
“The conditions were that the woman should pay R20 000 for the grant to be released. Once she had paid the amount, the same people requested additional money which the victim deposited into the accounts she was provided,” said the spokesperson for the Ivory Park Police Station, Captain Bernard Matimulane.
He said when the victim visited the address given to her, she realised she had been scammed. “The police are warning the public about the increase in fraud incidents and calling on people to exercise extreme caution whenever they are dealing with strangers interested in their banking and cell phone details.”
The station’s acting commander Colonel Baba Mpatoane has warned the public not to pay for prizes. “People should alert the authorities when they receive such calls.”
“If someone asks money in exchange for facilitating a service which is normally free, it is better to terminate the call immediately as this has all the hallmarks of a fraud. People should alert the authorities when they receive such calls,” said Mpotoane.
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Also check out:
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/201682/residents-aid-arrest/
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/201898/two-arrested-after-business-robbery/
