Brazen online scamsters preying on those left vulnerable by the fallout of the state-imposed lockdown have multiplied exponentially in 2020.
Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), in collaboration with Florida Police and the fraud investigation office of one of South Africa’s major banks, have secured the arrest of an alleged online scamster on 5 November.
JMPD officers noticed a suspicious man approaching members of the public with a package under his arm. When questioning the man, his initial claim that he was attempting to sell his laptop for rent money proved to be false. He was carrying what police describe as an ‘air gun’, and he was taken to his residence in Florida for authorities to probe further.
When police searched the man’s home, they found various credit cards, banking details from multiple banks as well as allegedly fraudulently purchased items. “A case was opened at Florida Police and the suspect was detained for the possession of suspected stolen property, contravention of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002, violation of section 45/2 of the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication Related Information Act 70 of 2002, and possession of a replica firearm,” stated JMPD spokesperson, Xolani Fihla.
The estimated total value of the items is reported to be in the range of R500 000 and the case was transferred to the Johannesburg Commercial Crimes Investigation Unit for further investigation.
