Alleged cash-for-jobs fraudster is caught after four-year chase
A man suspected of impersonating municipal officials in a job scam over the past four years was finally apprehended on Saturday and is set to appear in court again next week.
MALALANE – An alleged fraudster who has been giving authorities the run-around for the past four years was finally caught on Saturday.
Police arrested Nhlanhla Sboniso Ngomane for impersonating municipal officials and demanding cash in return for securing jobs.
He would reportedly call job seekers claiming to be a municipal official and tell them that he could secure a job for them, but that they would need to pay a fee. The targets would then be directed to deposit the cash into his bank account or via supermarket cash-sending services. When the victims arrived at their new job, they would find out it was all a scam.
According to Cyril Ripinga, spokesman for the Nkomazi Local Municipality, community members first approached the municipality with complaints in 2015 and cases were opened with the police.
READ: Nkomazi residents lose thousands of Rands in job scam
When more victims arrived at the municipality to report for work, claiming that they had paid to get the job, the municipality called in the help of the Hawks and other security agencies.
READ: Job seekers targeted by scammers impersonating SAPS, municipal officials
The culprit proved to be difficult to track down, but police were finally successful on Saturday.
Ngomane, who is apparently from Mangweni, briefly appeared in the Malelane Periodical Court on Monday and was remanded in custody. He is expected to appear in the same court next Wednesday.
Capt Magonseni Nkosi of Tonga SAPS also warned of another scam that has targeted several victims in the area, this time in connection with hardware stores.
He stated that fraudsters target people busy with construction and impersonate employees of local hardware stores. They then offer community members discount on stock and urge them not to contact the stores, to prevent employees becoming suspicious. The victims then need to pay money into a cash-sending service or bank account. Once they arrive at the store asking for the person to whom they spoke in order to get the materials, the employee has no knowledge of the transaction.
READ: Bank fraud schemes you need to know
Nkosi said it seems like the fraudsters are most active in areas near hardware stores.
He urged community members not to fall for shady deals, but to double-check specials in store and ensure that the money is deposited into the store’s real account.
Nkosi also reported that a number of burglaries have been reported within the Tonga policing area, mostly when residents were not at home. He urged neighbours to look out for one another and report suspicious activities at homes in the neighbourhood, and to ensure security measures are in place.
