Patients conned out of money

POLOKWANE – Fake traditional healers and doctors are making money out of scamming the very people who have turned to them to be healed.

Review and the Polokwane police recently received several complaints in this regard. In some instances, people paid as much as R10 000 for their “lost lovers” to come back, or to cure “ailments” such as “bad luck”.

One of the victims, Joseph Mamabolo, said he wanted to win back his estranged girlfriend of three years and consulted with a healer called “Dr Mark”, after being given one of his pamphlets.

He told of his experience: “The number on the pamphlet was answered by a woman who gave me directions to a shop in the city. She said I should go there with my initial R1 000 consultation fee, and she would meet me there and take me to the doctor.

“I met her as specified and we drove into some remote back alley where I was met by two men. I was asked to give them a R1 000 deposit before the consultation. I gave them the money and another man in his 40’s, who said he was the doctor, came and spoke to me.

“After a short consultation I was told to go and fetch another R1 500 for medication, which I would have to drink three times a day.

“This I duly did, but when I returned a hour or so later, they were gone, and no one knew where the doctor could be found. I phoned the number I had used before, but the phone had been turned off. They disappeared with my R1 000.”

Another woman, Ouma Thembani, said she had had a similar experience. However, the total amount she was scammed of, was just over R10 000.

According to Polokwane police spokesperson, WO Lesiba Ramoshaba, these fake traditional healers and doctors’ marketing strategy was simple yet effective. “They have become so daring that they are employing people who are desperate for an income to distribute their pamphlets and put up posters. When handing out the pamphlets, these people vouch for the ‘doctor’ being advertised, saying they were helped by this ‘doctor’,” Ramoshaba explained.

Ramoshaba said this type of scam was one the increase in the city, with the only motive seeming to be the making of a quick buck. “They play on the psychology of unsuspecting residents. When people are faced by social problems they look for solutions and the sad fact is that most of these people make use of the these so-called traditional healers and doctors as they have been taught to trust them in the rural areas,” he further said.

He said the following should be taken note of:

• Real doctors will not advertise on the streets.

• If the surroundings of the office or house look dodgy, chances are it is not a real doctor.

• If you have to pay before consultation something is wrong.

• Real doctors will not be using just a name.

• When a doctor claims that you should stop using medicine that has been prescribed. something is wrong.

• Ask to see the accreditation of the doctor, it should also be hanging in his or her office.

Residents are urged to contact the police and report these fake traditional healers and doctors, as well as the people handing out their pamphlets and putting up their posters. The Polokwane police can be contacted at (015) 290 6577/8.