‘Recruitment agent’ scam artists hit Ballito

Umhlali SAPS have issued a warning to the public against thieves luring in job seekers with promises of employment.
Captain Percy Buthelezi of Umhlali SAPS said the police and security guards have been inundated with reports from victims of people who fall prey to people posing as recruitment agents, promising jobs in the Ballito and Salt Rock area.
“Just a few weeks ago the Courier carried a story on Bongekile Hadebe who was seduced by a well dressed man promising her employment at the Ballito Bay Mall, but instead robbed her of her cellphones and cash,” he said.
Buthelezi said there were more that one of these scams operating and cautioned job seekers from getting into cars with strangers just because they claim to be recruitment agents.
“Some women get picked up from townships by these so-called agents who them drop them off in different parts of Ballito or Slat Rock after robbing them,” said Buthelezi.
He said they sometimes tell the victim to go and ring the bell at the gate of an unknown house “while they ‘turn the car’ around and as soon as the victim is out of the car, they drive off with all their valuables.
“We understand that we are living in desperate times with a high unemployment rate but we urge the Dolphin Coast residents to be more vigilant and less trusting of strangers. Find out more information about the ‘agent’ before trusting their word,” he concluded.