Warning issued over social media identity theft scams
"We are committed to warning and educating the public about our endeavours to eradicate crime, especially crime against vulnerable people."
Specialist serious violent and serious economic crimes investigator Mike Bolhuis has warned members of the public about identity theft scams that were reportedly being conducted through social media.
“Specialised security services is committed to warning and educating the public about our endeavours to eradicate crime, especially crime against vulnerable people,” he said.
In one such case, Bolhuis said one of their clients had advertised a cellphone that she wanted to sell on a social media platform.
“She received a call from a man who was interested in buying the phone for R1 000,” he said.
The scammer then reportedly told the victim that he was buying the phone for his daughter and later sent proof of payment using a different number than the one he called her [the victim] with initially.
“The proof of payment was for R3 500,” Bolhuis said.
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The cellphone was then reportedly fetched by an e-hailing taxi service driver from the victim’s residence.
“While delivering the phone, the Bolt driver was involved in an attempted hijacking,” Bolhuis said, adding that the proof of payment was falsified as the victim had not received the payment.
“It must be noted that the driver was only delivering a service and gave our client his full co-operation in the matter.”
Bolhuis said that it was also established that the scammer had contacted the victim using a bogus account wherein he used someone else’s photos.
He also warned members of the public about another scam involving people from overseas.
“These money scams involve someone from overseas offering you a share in a large sum of money or a payment on the condition that you help them to transfer money out of their country,” he said.
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