Unknown suspects are using photos and names from the Northcliff Melville Times to scam people.
Sophiatown police have urged the public to not fall for a new scam that involves the photos and names of police officers at their station. According to the station’s spokesperson, Captain TJ de Bruyn, a Pretoria man was recently contacted via Whatsapp and told they were being investigated for a sexual assault case, while using photos of officers recently published in the Northcliff Melville Times.
He explained, “These suspects have taken photos from the paper and set them as their profile pictures on Whatapp and claim to be a particular officer. They then tell the potential victim that they have been named as a suspect in a sexual offence case but can make the case disappear for a certain amount.”
The suspects will then send a photo of a case docket to make the victim believe that there really is a case – yet, the image was downloaded off Google.
De Bruyn said that this scam has been around and people tend to fall for it because they are scared. “Many don’t fall for it but some will do whatever it takes to get rid of the case because, although they know it’s not true, they don’t want their families thinking such could’ve happened.”
They will then be given an account number to send the money to via EFT but shortly after the money has been received the Whatsapp account they were engaging with no longer exists and the number can’t be called anymore. Fortunately, the Pretoria man could tell it was a scam as the Whatsapp profile had a Google email address (gmail) and he knew he had not engaged in such activities and behaviour.
The police remind the public that if any police officer or person pretending to be an officer approaches them for money under any circumstance to report it immediately. De Bruyn added, “Police cannot ask you to pay any money into accounts; never pay a police officer for anything. Furthermore, if you have been contacted by an officer and believe it is a scam you can call the station they claim to be from to verify if it is them and whether what they are saying is true.”
Anyone who has been contacted in a similar way are advised to contact the station as soon as possible as police are trying to apprehend those involved in the scam.
Sophiatown Police Station Client Service Centre (CSC), available 24/7: 011 670 6398; 011 670 6401.
