Hatfield CID warns UP students about rising fake prophet scam

The Hatfield City Improvement District (CID) has raised a serious concern about a growing scam that is targeting students at the University of Pretoria (UP).

Head of security at the CID, Deon van Rensburg, revealed that several UP students are being robbed daily by individuals posing as “fake prophets”.

He said these scammers approach students, offering them an opportunity to help “collect money” on their behalf, but the situation quickly turns into a scheme to steal their valuable belongings.

Van Rensburg explained that the scammers use a detailed strategy to gain the students’ trust.

“They often describe specific clothing worn by a person they claim is waiting inside a venue.

Then, they convince the students to go inside to collect the money but demand that they leave behind a piece of collateral, like a phone or laptop, to ensure they don’t run off with the money.”

Van Rensburg said, unfortunately, when the student returns, they find that the venue is empty and the scammers have disappeared along with their belongings.

The university said they are aware of the ongoing scam.

UP spokesperson Sashlin Girraj confirmed that false prophets have been an issue for the past decade.

“Several students have reported being targeted, and cases have been filed with the university, the Brooklyn SAPS, and the Hatfield CID,” he said.

“In response, the university has provided trauma counselling to affected students and helped them report the incidents to law enforcement when necessary.”

To help students avoid falling victim to this scam, UP has made efforts to raise awareness.

Girraj explained that the university communicates warnings about the bogus prophets and other scams during first-year orientation and residence security briefings.

“The university has used the PDBY (Perdeby) student newspaper and marketing videos to inform students about the risks of these scams,” said Girraj.

UP is also collaborating with local law enforcement, including the Brooklyn police and Hatfield CID, to address the issue.

Girraj mentioned that UP attends weekly Station Community Crime Forum (SCCF) meetings at the Brooklyn police station, where crime trends are discussed.

He said both Brooklyn SAPS and Hatfield CID are aware of the false prophet phenomenon and are on the lookout for perpetrators in the area.

Girraj urged students not to talk to strangers.

“These scammers are very skilled at building trust with students, often targeting them just before exam periods with promises of ‘praying’ over their electronic devices to ensure academic success.

Once the scammers have gained the students’ trust, they request to hold their laptops or phones temporarily, only to disappear with them when the student leaves to buy a bottle of spring water as part of the cleansing process.”

Students are urged to stay vigilant and protect their belongings as they navigate campus life in the Hatfield area.

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