A man accused of luring unsuspecting jobseekers to Johannesburg with the promise of jobs and then scamming them out of their money, was finally nabbed by Yeoville police officers on 3 October.
The alleged fraudster was caught in the act by police officers as he was attempting to scam yet another victim of her money.
Spokesperson for Yeoville Police Station, Captain Sifiso Mabizela briefly explained the modus operandi. “The suspect advertises false jobs using pamphlets and social media to attract desperate jobseekers and then lures them to Gauteng, whereupon he allegedly requests a payment for accommodation and an admin fee of about R2 500.
“After paying the required amount, the accused then books them into a lodge or guest house for the night, promising to return the next morning, before allegedly disappearing with the collected money and leaving the victim stranded.”
Mabizela claimed that the accused has been linked to other similar crimes in the area before he was finally nabbed by the police and detained at Yeoville Police Station. He has since been charged with theft under false pretenses in two separate cases and appeared in the Hillbrow Magistrates’ Court on 5 October.
“We also wish to urge the community to be very cautious when offered jobs which require payment before the actual employment; in most cases, these suspects… vanish without a trace,” he stressed.
Mabizela concluded by appealing to residents to report suspicious people or activities to the police if and when they come across them.
Details: 011 487 5900.
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