A scam artist is behind bars after cunningly conning a woman at a money market earlier this year.
In mid-April this year, a woman deposited an amount of R1200 at a money market in Newcastle. The money was destined for a relative in Ladysmith. The eager relative was informed and was waiting in a queue at a local money market to withdraw the monies.
She was unaware that behind her in the queue stood a clever scam artist. The scam artist struck up a conversation with the unsuspecting woman and asked to use her cell-phone. She promised to load extra airtime as a gift for use of the phone.
The woman allowed her to use the phone, and she quickly checked the money transfer number and pin number that were stored on the cell-phone. She then called a friend and furnished the money transfer number, as well as the pin number, and requested her to draw the monies on her behalf. When the recipient reached the counter, she received the shocking news that the money had already been withdrawn.
By this time, the con artist had disappeared.
The ‘depositor’ was informed and made enquiries.
A case docket of theft was registered and Constable SP Sithole of Ladysmith Detective Services was tasked with the investigation. She traced the person who had withdrawn the money and was directed to 21-year-old Nontobeko Innocentia Ngcobo.
She was placed under arrest and stool trial in the Ladysmith Magistrate’s Court, where she was recently sentenced to an effective 18 months’ imprisonment.
The accused has been linked to at least four other cases where the same modus operandi was used. Detective are busy with those investigations.
