Fake police captain arrested for allegedly scamming people out of thousands of rand

A Limpopo man has been arrested after he allegedly scammed people out of thousands of rand while pretending to be a police captain in 2019.

The 28-year-old was arrested at a park in Seshego, Polokwane on Friday after several cases of fraud were opened by his victims.

“The imposter allegedly pretended to be a police captain from the provincial human resource management. He would then call unsuspecting people who wanted to be enlisted in the SAPS to deposit a certain amount of money into various accounts for medical reports,” said police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe.

“He would thereafter instruct them to take the receipt to the recruitment office as proof of payment. When people went to the recruitment office, they found out they had been scammed.”

Ngoepe said police investigations were continuing and the suspect might be linked to other crimes.

Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba warned the public to stay vigilant.

“Police will not request or demand cash for any reason during the recruitment process or investigations. The police recruitment forms are not for sale and our posts are advertised on different media platforms with clear specifications.

“Members of the community must report these types of tendencies to the police immediately,” said Ledwaba.

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