Fairland Police Station has seen a rather worrying increase in the number of cases reported involving online fraud. According to spokesperson, Sergeant Michael Kgatla, more people have been reporting cases where the online seller either disappeared after money had been transferred or the goods that were delivered were not what was ordered. Kgatla expressed, “We are reminding the public not to hand over their money to anyone unless they have inspected the goods and they are happy with them.” The following tips were shared by the police in an attempt to reduce the chance of the public falling victim to this:
- People are urged not to pay for anything sold online if they don’t have solid proof that it’s not a scam.
- Phone the person who is responsible for the advert and ask if you can see the product first before any money is exchanged.
- The public is advised to rather follow a ‘cash on delivery’ ideology when it comes to purchasing goods online.
- The exchange of money for goods should take place in a safe public place like a police station.
- Property for rent needs to be verified by visiting the property before any payments or contracts are signed.
While on the topic of online shopping Kgatla also reminded the public to be vigilant of criminals snatching phones out of the hands of the public. He stated, “There have been a few incidents lately where people’s phones are being grabbed from them while they are walking or out in public.” Kgatla is pleading with the public to always be alert when outside, even during lockdown as criminals are still out there targeting people.
