ATM scam: R5 000 gone
The question is, could there be an EFT device in that specific house enabling them to access her money?
On Saturday 20 February the wife of Jan Pieters (not his real name) was a victim of another ATM scam, which left her with R5 000 less in her bank account.
Pieters, for whom the Herald uses a pseudonym for safety reasons, said his wife went to the Capitec Bank ATM on Saturday morning just before 9am.
While she was inserting her card into the ATM, a man who had just finished his transaction pushed in front of her while her card was still in the machine. After that he quickly left.
Pieters’ wife was in shock but with the help of the person behind her, they tried to establish if her card was still in the machine.
The other person’s card went into the slot easily, and Pieters’ wife allegedly realised that the black male had stolen her card. She immediately phoned Pieters, and he instructed her to cancel her card with Capitec Bank. While she was on the phone with the bank, she received banking notifications on her cellphone.
After finishing her call, she saw R2 000 had been withdrawn from her account. In addition a total of R3 000 had been spent on three purchases of R1 000 each.
Once she returned home, Pieters checked the notifications and saw that all transactions had been done from a specific number in Union Street in Randgate. Pieters drove to the location to see where the ATM or business was located. To his surprise he found neither an ATM nor a business, but a house.
The closest business is across the street. Pieters subsequently got a map from the municipality and also an aerial photo of the house and its surrounding areas.
He said it had taken the thief/ thieves about seven minutes to get from Greenhills Circle to Union Street in Randgate, where they purchased goods for R3 000 and withdrew R2 000 from an ATM.
The question is, could there be an EFT device in that specific house enabling them to access her money? Pieters opened a case of theft at the Randfontein SAPS on 22 February.
Captain Appel Ernst, spokesperson for Randfontein Police, confirmed that a case had been opened.
Want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us an SMS/ WhatsApp message with your name and cellphone number to 079 413 8726.
Familiarise yourself with our WhatsApp service disclaimer.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
Also read:
New fraud scam discovered by police
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites Roodepoort Record, Krugersdorp News and Get It Joburg West Magazine
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to let your voice be heard!
