Residents warned against fraudsters in the City of Mbombela
In yet other cases the fraudster will pretend to be a police officer. They call the victims and inform them that their friend or relative is arrested and they will need bail money.
The Nelspruit police are concerned about the increasing number of fraud cases reported at the station.
“Fraudsters use different modi operandi in these cases. In some cases, a fraudster posts an advertisement on social media pretending to be selling a car. The victim is told to deposit money into a bank account or through cash-sending services before the car can be delivered. The fraudster will withdraw the money and disappear and no car is delivered,” explains Capt Zandile Gqawa, spokesman of the police.
“In other cases, the fraudster pretends to be calling from a bank. They inform the victim that his account is hacked. They request the victim to confirm their personal details and to provide their bank account’s personal identification number (PIN). The fraudster then get access to the victim’s account and withdraw money,” she added.
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In yet other cases the fraudster will pretend to be a police officer. They call the victims and inform them that their friend or relative is arrested and they will need bail money. The victims are told to send the money through cash-sending services.
Fraudsters also post an advertisement that they are a company dealing in personal loans, that their interest rates are very low and that they also cater for blacklisted people. The victim is told to deposit a certain amount of money before the loan can be processed. The victim deposits the money and will never receive the loan cash.
“We request the community to be vigilant and not to rely on social media posts or advertisements when concluding sales transactions. The police will never request cash to be sent through cash-sending services; rather contact the nearest police station before making any payments. The banks will never request your PIN, contact your nearest branch before furnishing your personal details over the phone. Approach a reputable cash loan company if you need a loan,” Gqawa advised.
The Nelspruit SAPS can be contacted on 013-759-1008 or call 08600-10111.
