Bethal meat scam continues in another prison when alleged mastermind is moved there
Mr Almero said the man obviously recruits new ring members and more than one man is involved in this. “I suppose he is not worried to get caught out. He is already serving a life sentence, what worse can happen to him?”
BETHAL – A month after a Bethal prison inmate was caught scamming kind-hearted community activists, he was moved to another prison where he allegedly formed a new scam ring that continued fleecing airtime vouchers out of unsuspected people.
Mr Ben Almero from the National Crime Assist (NCA) who originally traced a cell phone to the con-man inside the Bethal Prison, said on Thursday, 26 August, a case is being investigated.
“The man has since been moved to another prison where he seems to have headed up a new scam network,” said Mr Almero.
He received more complaints about people being scammed out of airtime vouchers in August and again traced a phone number – and behold! The cell phone is traced to the prison where the con-man is now being held.
The story spun by the person is so elaborate and amazing, that people seem to often fall into his snare, because they believe he is donating meat to the needy.
He scammed numerous people over the telephone by making them believe he is a farmer who’s fridges are packed up and he needed to get rid of the bulk of the meat.
The well-spoken Afrikaans man in his 50’s, lured his victims with a promise to donate the meat worth thousands of rand to welfare organisations and charitable institutions.
The caller would ask the person to supply him with the names and cell phone numbers of others who might also be interested in the free meat.
When he directs them to his “farm” (usually between Bethal, Trichardt and Kriel), he also asks the recipient to be as kind as to send him airtime vouchers which he must give to his workers. He would fabricate a story that he could not go to town for this, because he has to wait for the victim.
Once the airtime vouchers are sent, some victims sent vouchers worth R3 000 – the man disappears and the farm cannot be found, because it does not exist.
The con-man regularly changes his alias. Those known are Dr Bertie Malan from the farm Vergelegen, Oom Daan Malan and Louis.
Since Ridge Times previously reported on this scam, numerous people came forward claiming to have fallen victim to this scam.
Ms Tania Bisschoff commented on Facebook that the “oom” is very good and convincing.
“He phones churches and tells them that he wants to donate the meat before it goes off.”.
Ms Poppie van Deventer said the same was tried at Chrissiesmeer and Carolina.
Mr Gert Pienaar, a retired teacher from Bethal, said he was scammed in the exact way back in 2016.
“The man phoned the school and we decided so much free meat would be a gain for the school so I set out to collect it. The man knows the area well, because he directed me to the Davel area, but eventually ignored me after I had sent him the airtime vouchers.”
The con-man’s true identity cannot yet be revealed pending the investigation.
Mr Almero said the man obviously recruits new ring members and more than one man is involved in this.
“I suppose he is not worried to get caught out.
“He is already serving a life sentence, what worse can happen to him?”
Mr Almero suggested that people pressure the authorities to stop the use of cell phones and luxuries in prison.
