Shocking scam targets hijacking victims

A local insurance company has warned motorists to be vigilant about an alarming new scam.

Hugo van der Merwe of MUA Insurance Acceptances said the new trend involves fraudsters targeting policy holders once they notify the police of their hijacking or vehicle theft ordeal.

“Shortly after reporting a stolen or hijacked vehicle to the South African Police Services, a number of policyholders stated that they were contacted by individuals posing as police officers. The fraudster informs the policyholder that their stolen or hijacked vehicle had been recovered in a different province or even in a neighbouring country. The policyholder is then informed that they need to pay fees via electronic funds transfer (EFT) or an electronic wallet in order to have their vehicle returned to them,” said van der Merwe

Also read: SARS warns of scam doing rounds 

Van der Merwe further warned that this is not regular police procedure adding  that individuals should under no circumstances pay these  fees.

“These instances have been brought to the attention of the South African Police Service and are being investigated as a matter of urgency. However, if a policyholder is still unsure about whether they are expected to pay any fees, they should first contact their broker or the Commander of the police station where they originally reported the theft or hijacking of their vehicle to confirm,” he said

He concluded by urging consumers to stay alert, especially if they are the victim of a recent vehicle theft or hijacking.

Also read: Mount Edgecombe man arrested for fake hijacking

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