This scam is one that regularly happens, but yet more and more people fall victim to it.
A woman, drowsy and unable to speak, was found next to the road in December last year. After being transported to hospital by ambulance, the victim was able to tell her story to police.
Allegedly the victim was at a bank in eMalahleni, when she was approached by a female who showed her bank notes and requested her to accompany her so that they can share the money. She asked the victim to get inside a grey Audi A4 with three unknown male occupants inside. They drove to Ga-Nala.
Along the way the female suspect gave the victim juice to drink that was allegedly laced with an unknown substance. When the victim became unconscious, they dumped her next to the road.
The female suspect took the victims ID and bank card and went to a bank in Ga-Nala where she attempted to withdraw R20 000 over the counter. The bank teller became suspicious and contacted the police and the 32-year old suspect, Sindy Mkhize was arrested for fraud.
But this is not where this saga ends. Once in prison Mkhize decided to tell police how she got involved in a scam that robs many people of their hard-earned money.
She said she was involved in an accident last year in eMalahleni, on November 19, with her boyfriend’s vehicle and pleaded with the other party involved not to phone the SAPS as she was under the influence and driving without a license.
A few days after the accident the other party phoned her and informed her that the damage was R7 500. She told the other party that she would pay the damage off, as soon as money became available to her. The owner of the other vehicle, only known to her as “Ndomiso” then suggested that she assisted them in committing associated robberies and so pay off the damage to the vehicle.
Mkhize said she met up with three males on December 11 at a KFC in eMalahleni. They gave a briefing on how she must assist them and apparently handed two bottles of juice to her, the one was normal juice and the other bottle contained juice and six sleeping tablets. She was told that the bottle with the sleeping pills was meant for the victims.
Mkhize told police they continued to Klipfontein where all the males went into three banks to scout for potential victims. They were unsuccessful and left for Mandela Road, where they parked the Silver Audi A4 at a bank located in the vicinity.
Before parking the vehicle they showed the female a spot where she must lure the victims to.
Once in one of the banks Ndomiso phoned Mkhize and gave a description of a victim they had identified.
As the victim came out of the branch Ndomiso dropped a roll of cash and Mkhize picked it up in front of the victim and told her that they can share the cash. She then escorted the victim to the spot the suspects pointed out earlier. The three suspects then confronted both the victim and the female suspect with police ID cards and told them that a white man was robbed and that they saw the two females picking up the cash. They told them that they are arresting them and that they will be taken to an office for questioning.
They drove towards Ga-Nala and the victim was offered the juice with the sleeping tablets, the males questioned her on her accounts and details to enable the victim to answer the security questions.
Before reaching Ga-Nala the victim fell asleep and they left her next to the road.
They proceeded to the bank in Ga-Nala where Mkhize attempted to withdraw the money, but where she was subsequently arrested.
The three suspects are still at large.
“People are urged to be on high alert when they withdraw money, especially huge amounts. Do not trust anyone,” is advice from Capt Eddie Hall, police spokesperson.
If you know the whereabouts of the suspects or gave any information,
contact Capt Tanya Oosthuizen from Secunda SAPS: 082 496 2220.
