Swindlers target PTA shoppers

Another Moot resident in Pretoria has fallen victim to a group of women scamming residents in the area, Pretoria Moot Rekord reports.

Three weeks ago, a pensioner was out shopping when her card was stolen and money withdrawn from her bank account, and last week, Capital Park resident Judy Weiss found herself in a similar situation.

“I was in Ackermans buying shoes for my daughter when a woman started talking to me. She introduced herself as Thandi. I was told her friend was a supervisor at the store and that she can offer people discounts on items bought,” Weiss said.

“They conned me into leaving my valuables in a safe. Needless to say, everything was gone by the time I realised it was a scam.”

Another Moot resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said something similar had happened to her in the Pick ‘n Pay at Waverly plaza.

“They robbed me of my handbag and rings and within minutes, a large amount of money was withdrawn from my accounts. I believe that they may be the same ladies that scammed the pensioner,”she said.

The resident said the robbers appeared to be well-trained.

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“They know what they are doing and they rob innocent people of their hard-earned money. We need to be more observant of our surroundings,” she said.

Moot police gave the following safety tips:

– There is no such thing as “discount on discount”.

– If approached at shopping complexes by suspicious people call a security or car guard.

– A person claiming to be a police officer must be able to show an appointment card.

The police said that most elderly citizens or women travelling alone were targets.

The Villieria police provided the following safety tips:

– Do not leave your handbag in your shopping trolley.

– Never leave your wallet and handbag unattended.

– Beware of pickpockets. Never keep items in your back pocket.

– Hold your handbag tightly

– Caxton News Service