The police cautioned the public once again to watch out for fraudsters, and make sure that when they deposit money into an account that they have verified the contact details of the recipient.
This follows a recent incident, in which a victim was scammed by means of a property listing.
She saw an advertisement on her cell phone that a house was available for renting. According to Captain Agnus Huma of the Wierdabrug police station, she then requested the rental contract via e-mail, which stipulated that she was to pay her rent and deposit via an EFT.
Apparently the victim tried to phone the agent, but the phone was left unanswered and no trace of the fraudster has been found.
Huma warned residents looking to buy or rent to make an appointment with the agent or owner when interested in renting property. She said residents should take down all the agent/owner’s personal details and request the ID of the owner(s) to protect themselves against such fraud.
She further urged the public not to make payments before ensuring that both the property and the owner exist. A case of fraud has been opened.
