MEMBERS of the Pinetown SAPS detective unit: economic crimes group, have urged the public to remain vigilant and cautious about fraudulent activities which have escalated at an alarming rate in recent months, with an estimated 20 dockets opened daily.

According to this group of detectives, headed by Detective Warrant Officer Maxwell Ngubane, the situation has gotten out of control and in some cases people are losing their life savings.

This dire state of affairs includes the defrauding of unsuspecting victims doing over the counter deposits at money market tills at popular retail stores; the elderly seeking assistance from strangers at ATMs; fraudsters impersonating bank employees and, or police officers; ID fraud; the forging of payslips and other documents to successfully secure a vehicle finance deal; sales and purchases over Facebook Marketplace; as well as the targeting of people on dating sites; and the cloning of WhatsApp accounts.

The major challenge for the police is that criminals constantly conceive of new ways of defrauding unsuspecting victims.

Also read: WARNING: Woman fraudster impersonating a police officer

On deposits at money market counters at retail stores, Ngubane said the unit is still investigating how these deposits are diverted by fraudsters.

“Because according to the stores, they give clients withdrawal Pins, now the unanswered question is how do the fraudsters get a hold of that Pin?” said Ngubane.

In some cases where arrests were made, Ngubane said the victim had told the police that no one else had been present during the transaction besides themselves and the teller.

“It depends, in some cases we do find that it had been the cashier or teller who was guilty, but sometimes we find that it is not them,” said Ngubane.

Seniors targeted at ATMs

Detective Sergeant Lungisani Zondi, a member of the group, said the elderly are the main targets of ATM fraud. “We wish that our communities living in Pinetown and surrounding areas, when they go to an ATM, to avoid getting help from strangers,” said Zondi, who advised that ATM users should press the cancel button multiple times before inserting their bank cards.

He offered this advice because fraudsters use different devices, including some for skimming, to obtain victims’ personal information.

“Sometimes people’s cards get swallowed by the ATM machines and then people find that their money is now being withdrawn at a different location,” said Zondi, who clarified that this crime does not discriminate according to age.

Though all ATMs are a risk, it is the busiest ones near bank branches that are usually earmarked by smartly dressed fraudsters.

In Pinetown, the public is urged to be cautious of ATMs on these streets:

• Kings Road,
• Old Main Road,
• and Union Lane, among others

Pinetown SAPS communications officer Jennifer Naidu said: “When using ATMs, we urge everyone to use in-bank machines whenever possible. These locations are generally safer and less accessible to opportunistic criminals. Always remain aware of your surroundings.”

Car purchasing fraud

The purchasing of vehicles using fraudulent documents is on the rise, said Constable Sibusiso Ntombela.

“Many of the cars on the road, mostly those used for e-hailing services which are purchased from car dealerships, are bought with fraudulent documents,” said Ntombela, who added that this is on a steady increase with online applications.

These fraudsters, explained Ntombela, use photoshop mostly to either create fake payslips or alter existing ones, and even bank statements, in order to qualify for vehicle finances.

“Most of the time in these cases, we are the ones who recover the cars which were purchased fraudulently and arrest the individuals who make use of fraudulent or fake documents,” said Ngubane

Impersonation of bank employees

Sergeant Thenjiwe Gcwensa said another soaring trend sees fraudsters impersonating bank employees who call their victims and are able to fool and unsettle them by having in hand one or other personal detail about the victim, whilst alleging suspicious activity on the victim’s account.

This has the detectives’ group suspicious of bank employees colluding with fraudsters.

“What we are saying is that people should not entertain such callers and they should always do their own verifications with their banks, and not just blindly follow through on instructions made by callers who could be fraudsters,” said Gcwensa.

Links are used by these impersonators who sometimes instruct their victims to give them either OTPs or conclude transactions on their banking apps, which is not advisable.

“After such calls, if a complainant had complied with the instructions issued by the fraudsters, they soon learn the harsh truth that their money is gone. So, do not make any transactions following instructions from unknown or suspicious callers,” said Gcwensa.

On ATM fraud and cases emanating from such calls, Ngubane said the unit works closely with banks, “and some of them, we have managed to resolve them”.

Some victims have been defrauded of more than R500 000, added Ngubane.

Also read: WATCH: Cops caution on rocketing cases of fraud on Facebook

Dating sites

Normally, women over 40 looking for partners on dating sites fall victim to fraudsters who make glittering but empty promises, which at times nudges the one blinded by love to make payments to people they assume are a soulmate, said Constable Thabisile Dlomo.

“In some cases trips are arranged to faraway places, which require money, or sometimes the fraudster pretending to be a lover will claim to have sent their victim some goods and needs money for customs,” said Dlomo, who added that some victims have cashed out their pensions and paid these to their supposed partner who lives abroad, on the promise that soon the couple will be together.

ID fraud

Ntombela said those who lose or misplace their IDs should immediately report this to Home Affairs because fraudsters declare people who are alive and well, dead, so as to cash in on policies they had taken using the details of these misplaced or sometimes stolen IDs.

The overall general advice from this group of detectives is that people should strive to always leave a paper trail which the police can follow, verify everything, take stock, and always monitor their accounts and belongings.

Naidu urged the public to report fraud to the Pinetown SAPS on 082 557 8282 or by contacting Radio Control on 10111 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

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