Witbank SAPS has warned residents to exercise caution when dealing with suppliers after a local man allegedly lost thousands of rands in a diesel transaction that never materialised, reports Witbank News.

According to the police, the man had previously conducted business with the supplier, so he proceeded to place an order for diesel. After payment had reportedly been made, a truck arrived at the designated location, leading the buyer to believe that the fuel would be delivered.

However, police said the diesel was never delivered or offloaded.

The man subsequently followed up on the transaction and was allegedly informed that the payment had not been received.

A fraud case has since been opened for investigation.

Police flag multiple fraud incidents

The incident comes amid a growing number of fraud-related cases reported in the Witbank policing area.

Earlier this month, police reported several incidents involving alleged scams, including an overseas bank transaction that cost a resident close to R20 000, an alleged Facebook trailer scam and unauthorised purchases made on a customer’s clothing account.

Witbank SAPS spokesperson Warrant Officer David Ratau previously urged residents to be vigilant when conducting business with unknown individuals and suppliers.

He advised the public to avoid making upfront payments to people they do not know and to verify the legitimacy of sellers before transferring money.

Ratau further urged anyone with information that can help the police solve any of the cases to visit the station or call 079 891 5570 or 013 655 5052.

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