MOKOPANE – The scammer, a woman allegedly used the same scam at a restaurant in Polokwane earlier this week.
According to the restaurant owner, 12 people from Vereeniging visited the restaurant yesterday to enjoy a lovely meal, but little did they know that this was all part of a scam.
He told Bosveld that the 12 people were in the restaurant, waiting for a taxi with 18 people to join them. The scammer promised all 30 people permanent employment at the restaurant as chefs, waiters and cleaners. They paid the scammer R250 each for transport and a meal at the restaurant. The scammer told them to quickly finish their lunch, because, according to her they had to start their shift at the restaurant at 15:00.
“We knew nothing about this recruitment scam and thought they were restaurant clients,” the owner explained.
The owner said the scam artist planned everything carefully. She interviewed them and signed contracts with them months ago. “Before they went to eat she mentioned that the company policy is that they can’t have any cellphones or personal belongings with them so they have to leave their handbags and phones at the front desk. While they were busy eating, she said she is going to withdraw money to pay the taxis. Instead, she took off with their handbags, wallets and cellphones.”
Later on a taxi with the 18 other recruiters joined the scene, but luckily they still had their belongings, as they missed the off ramp to Mokopane and had to turn around.
According to the owner these people were shocked, crying because they had no money or even a cellphone to find their way back home. The taxi drivers were not paid before the trip and received no money. One of the younger women phoned a family member to transfer money to a local shopping centre to pay the taxi drivers to transport them back to Vereeniging. The restaurant had a loss of about R2 500. We felt sorry for the people and gave them water before they departed.”
The Mokopane police were at the scene and investigations continue.
lionel@nmgroup.co.za
