With the festive season approaching more and more people are finding new ways to scam people and finding new ways to commit old crimes.
Fraud is a crime that happens all over in all types of ways, such as credit or debit card fraud, identity theft and so forth.
The Eldorado Park branch of the South African Police Service (SAPS) has been working in the fight against crime.
Captain Phillemon Khorombi, said, “People are still being defrauded by bogus cops. On November 10, a fake cop contacted the victim and informed her that her husband had been arrested and detained at the Eldorado Park holding cells.”
- Related Story: You can run, but you just cannot hide
The police impersonator told the woman that she should deposit cash for bail into a bank account provided by him.
Khorombi said that she deposited the ‘bail’ monies and that was the last she saw her cash.When SAPS tried to get a hold of the bogus cop, the call went directly to voicemail.
Khorombi said, “We as officers and management of the Eldorado Park SAPS are saying that, according to the SAPS procedures and that of the law, bail money is not paid at any financial institution.
- Related Story: Introducing a small nappy for premature babies
“Bail money can only be paid at the police station where somebody who is paying will receive his or her receipt as a proof of payment at the station or in court where the court will give direction, but never through Money Market.
“We are also appealing to the community to report these criminal activities. If anyone is involved in this scam or criminal activity it should be reported to the police immediately.”
“As it stands we have opened a case of fraud and the case is still under investigation. No suspects have been arrested as yet, which is why we appeal to the community to assist with the investigation so that the perpetrators can be brought to book,” he concluded.
