The SAPS has issued a warning to the public about an ongoing scam circulating in several provinces.

“Criminals are using fraudulent letters and phone calls that falsely appear to be from SAPS officials in an attempt to trick unsuspecting victims,” said SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk.

According to Van Wyk, these fake communications often bear the official SAPS logo and include the names and contact details of real senior police officers, as well as the addresses of legitimate police stations.

In some alarming cases, scammers have even used the names of police stations that don’t exist. The fraudulent messages are mainly sent via WhatsApp and are often preceded by phone calls from individuals impersonating police officers.

These imposters claim that criminal cases have been opened against the victims and then pressure them into paying a certain amount of money to make the supposed charges “go away.”

“These scams are cleverly tailored to appear legitimate, often changing details like names, addresses, and contact persons based on the victim’s location. We urge the public to remain cautious and not fall for these tactics,” said Van Wyk.

SAPS URGES THE PUBLIC TO:

Ignore any suspicious phone calls or WhatsApp messages claiming to be from SAPS
Never share personal information such as ID numbers, addresses, or banking details
Do not send money to anyone claiming to be able to make a criminal case disappear

“SAPS does not communicate with the public via WhatsApp or video calls.”.

Anyone who has received or responded to one of these scam messages or calls is urged to report the incident at their nearest police station and open a case.