SECUNDA – Another woman was conned out of her savings last week by a gang pretending to sell diamonds from Kenya.
This is the second woman in less than a month who was convinced into buying a purple rock.
Ridge Times reported two weeks ago on a granny from eMbalenhle who lost R11 300 to three men who tricked her into buying a stone on 29 January.
Ms Miriam Bogolo (55) was waiting for her sister in front of the Tupperware store in Secunda CBD when a well-spoken well-dressed man asked for her help in collecting boxes for his catalogue products.
The man’s stories were so convincing and appealing that Ms Bogolo, who claims not to even speak to telemarketers, eventually believed she needed a purple diamond to be mounted in her wedding ring.
The elaborated scam placed the first man in the centre as the go-between the seller and a so-called jeweller.
Ms Bogolo said they showed her a beautiful stone which was then valuated by the so-called jeweller as extremely precious.
She was given an option to pay a deposit for a piece of the stone.
Ms Bogolo was so blinded by their talk, that she allowed the first man to watch as she withdrew the money and then left her personal belongings with him while she took the stone back to the jeweller.
This time the rock was concealed in tissue and an envelope. By the time she realised what had happened, the men made off with her goods, her ring, her phone and her money, and she found an ordinary grey stone inside the packet.
Capt Bettina Zondo said another woman experienced the exact same scenario last Tuesday, 12 February.
“She was also accosted in front of the Tupperware store and asked for help.
“The same modus operandi ensued as with Ms Bogolo,” said Capt Zondo.
This time the woman was done in for R5 000 and has only an ordinary grey stone to show for it.
Capt Zondo warned residents not to fall for any of these scams.
“Do not even give someone a chance to speak to you about helping with boxes or to showing you catalogues.”
Col Herold Mashile, Secunda Police Station commander, added that any attempt to buy precious metals and jewels such as diamonds from anyone other than a registered jeweller, is an offence.
“This is illegal. If you fall for this scam, you are an accomplice in the illegal selling of diamonds and you cannot then complain to the police that your illegal transaction was a scam.”
Also read:
https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/132085/embalenhle-granny-loses-r11-300-wedding-ring-cell-phone-gemstonescam/
