Investigators from Specialised Security Services have joined forces with a specialist unit from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) to investigate cases of identity theft through the use of social media.

The task team was put together after recent incidents, such as one of Sergeant Heinreich Bester of Boksburg North SAPS being the target of an extortion scam for the last three years.

The Boksburg Advertiser recently reported that the scamster sends WhatsApp messages to people pretending to be a police officer by using a photo of Bester in uniform as the profile picture, and stating a case of sexual harassment (for example) has been opened against the person.

The fraudster claims to be officer John Smith of the Boschkop SAPS and goes on to demand money to be able to help the victim ‘get out of the mess’.

“The police impersonators use the photos of real police officers (including retired and deceased officers) and copies of dockets and warrants of arrests, which they forward to the victims,” explains Specialised Security Services head Mike Bolhuis.

“These photos and documents look so legitimate that the victims immediately believe they are authentic and pay the money requested. The victims are afraid that they might be arrested. The scamsters are most successful when a victim is actually in some way guilty of such an offense.”

Bolhuis warns that social media is increasingly becoming a hunting ground for identity thieves.

He explains that his team deals with about 50 cases of identity theft per week. It is, however, not only civilians who fall victim to syndicates like this.

According to Bolhuis, people are still being scammed daily because these types of criminals are ‘brilliant’ at what they do and part of their modus operandi is to thoroughly investigate the friends and contacts of the victims on social media.

Red flags
Bolhuis says these are things people should look out for in messages trying to extort money:
• Incorrect grammar and spelling mistakes in WhatsApp messages.
• Photos used have been digitally manipulated.
• The moment the police impersonators ask for money for the case to disappear, it is clearly an extortion scam.

He advises people to stay off internet sex sites. “These criminals thrive on personal information and photos of their victims. Once they have you, they have you.”

Hawks raid on prisons
According to a press statement from the Hawks, the Serious Corruption Investigation team in Gauteng assisted by the Emergency Support Team from the Gauteng Department of Correctional Services, executed a joint operation simultaneously at Odi and Baviaanspoort Correctional Centres in Mabopane and Pretoria, respectively, on the night of August 11.

This followed an in-depth investigation into corrupt police officers allegedly extorting money from several male victims who had sought service of a clandestine online escort agency.

The victims would later be informed by someone purporting to be a police officer that a case of rape and fraud was open against them as they used fake money to pay the sex-workers.

They would also present a fake warrant of arrest through WhatsApp and demand payment to ensure that the police along with the prosecutor make the cases disappear.

The Hawks investigation revealed that a syndicate of inmates with cellphones created profiles of police officers using the combination of both their names and photos taken from social media profiles of unsuspecting police officers.

They further sourced a call log from an online base escort agency continuously to contact the victims who paid them in fear of prosecution.

Between May and August this year, amounts of R760 000 and R560 000 were paid into two separate bank accounts provided to the victims into which to deposit the money.

During the search multiple smartphones were found on each of the four suspects, aged between 26 and 32, and were seized by the Hawks for further investigation.

A total of 36 cellphones and 19 chargers were seized.

The press statement urged anyone with information or who has had fallen prey to this kind of extortion to contact Captain Jacques Loock on 082 778 5626.

The Hawks said more arrests are imminent.

Report these cases

Bolhuis said in some instances the prisoners are assisted by prison wardens, and that there are also corrupt police officers extorting money from people.

“These cases are rarely reported to the SAPS as most people are too embarrassed to confess they may be guilty of crimes similar to what the extortionists claim, and are embarrassed about being scammed. Police also don’t have the manpower and resources to curb cybercrimes,” Bolhuis concludes.