Carletonville police warn businesses of fraudulent scheme by slick-talking conman
He is still on the loose and police fear that he might strike again.
The police in Carletonville urge local businesspeople to look out for a man who wants to defraud them of money.
Over the past week, an Afrikaans man conned at least one business out of thousands of rands after the business released goods to him, only to find out later that the proof of payment he had sent them was fraudulent.
The very decent-sounding man phoned the businesses and pretended to be the owner of a legitimate business himself. He sent them what looked like a legitimate bank document showing that he had paid the money into their accounts.
He then sent an independent courier to pick the goods up.
Luckily the owner of the second business heard of the problems at the business that was targeted first and notified the police when the scammer contacted him.
Carletonville detectives followed the courier who came to pick up the goods and arrested a Zimbabwean national in Yeoville when the courier handed the goods over to him.
Although he is only believed to be the “middle man”, he was charged with fraud and appeared in the Oberholzer Magistrate’s Court on Monday
The Afrikaans man who is believed to be the main suspect is, however, still on the loose and police worry that he may target other local businesses. Their advice to businesses is to never release any goods if the money of the payment does not show in their bank account.
This fraudster is a very slick talker and the fraudulent proof of payments were from two separate banks.
