A LA Lucia woman, who devoted much of her time tracking down her mother’s scammer, says she has finally given up hope “trying to do the police’s work.”
In late 2019, Katina Sideris made it her intention to nab the woman who had allegedly scammed her elderly mother of R80 000.
The woman pretended to be a Good Samaritan and befriended Sideris’s 86-year-old mother at the time by assisting her with her shopping bags at a mall.
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After gaining the woman’s trust, she then followed her home and offered her cakes to eat.
“My mother was left with R76 in her bank account and I later found out that many other elderly people had been victim of this scam. She used the same modus operandi and somehow managed to clone their bank cards, including my mom’s.”
A case was opened at Durban North SAPS, but Sideris set out to do her own detective work.
READ ALSO: Scam artist targets north Durban pensioners, warns resident
“I caught the woman at the mall and called SAPS. SAPS let her drive in her own car to the police station, so she tried to escape. A security company then arrested her and brought her to the police station but for some reason nothing came of it.
“The case just went cold and I haven’t heard from SAPS since then. I want to warn the elderly to be careful of who they speak to about their finances. Scammers seem so kind and helpful but they will rob you.”
Spokesperson for Durban North SAPS, Captain Raymond Deokaran, said the woman was arrested.”The suspect has appeared in court for the above mentioned matter and was released on bail. She is due to appear in court again next month,” said Deokaran.
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