Authorities have urged South Africans to be vigilant and to follow simple safety measures to avoid becoming victims.
The South African Police Service (Saps) has cautioned citizens against a rising vishing scam in which criminals exploit the police name, insignia and identities of senior officers to swindle unsuspecting members of the public.
Fake letters and phone calls
According to the police, fraudsters distribute fake letters, often through WhatsApp, that carry the Saps logo alongside the names of real officers and police stations to appear legitimate.
“In some instances, the alleged fraudsters fabricate non-existent police stations in their fraudulent correspondence.
“The Saps can confirm that no police station exists in Green Point, Cape Town,” the statement said.
The scam does not end with written messages.
Victims have also reported receiving intimidating phone calls from impostors posing as police officials.
These callers falsely claim that a criminal case has been opened against the victim and then demand payment to make it disappear.
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Saps distances itself from scam tactics
The police service stressed that it does not operate in such a manner.
“The Saps reminds community members that the organisation will never demand payment to cancel or withdraw a case and will never communicate with the public via WhatsApp or video calls,” the statement said.
Safety precautions for the public
Authorities have urged South Africans to be vigilant and to follow simple safety measures to avoid becoming victims. These include:
- Do not respond to suspicious calls, letters or messages.
- Do not share or confirm personal details such as ID numbers, addresses or banking details.
- Do not pay money to anyone claiming to be a police officer in exchange for cancelling a case.
The police are appealing to the public to help trace those behind the scam.
“Anyone with information that may assist in tracing and locating those involved in the scam is urged to contact their nearest police station, call Crime Stop on 08600 10111, or leave an anonymous tip-off via the MySAPS App,” the statement concluded.
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