The South African Police Service has urged members of the public to remain cautious when forming relationships online, warning that scammers often exploit trust to defraud unsuspecting victims.

Fake profiles are designed to deceive

According to the police, people should approach any new online acquaintance with caution and avoid sharing personal information too quickly. Fraudsters frequently create fake profiles using photographs stolen from other people’s social media accounts, making it important for users to verify profile pictures. One way to do this is by performing a reverse image search to see whether the image appears elsewhere online.

Scammers build trust before asking for money

Police say scammers often take time to build trust with their victims before asking for money. Requests may initially be for small amounts, but can gradually increase as the scammer attempts to manipulate the victim into sending larger sums.

Beware of online extortion

Another common tactic involves convincing victims to share intimate photographs. These images are then used to extort money, with scammers threatening to publish the material on social media or the internet if payment is not made.

Report suspicious activity immediately

The police advise that anyone who begins to feel suspicious about an online conversation should end communication immediately.

Members of the public are also encouraged to report suspicious profiles to the relevant social media platform as soon as possible and to block the individual to prevent further contact.

Authorities say remaining vigilant and verifying information before trusting someone online can help prevent falling victim to these types of scams.

The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.