11 November 2022

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has issued a stern warning to the public about the repeatedly reported Cyber crimes.

As we are currently approaching the festive season, police are warning community members to be more vigilant and to guard against phishing scams, internet frauds, online intellectual property infringements, identity thefts as well as online harassment and cyberstalking as these are commonly practiced by fraudsters these days.

Criminals are now exerting new strategies to defraud people of their hard earned cash and one of commonly used methods is online fraud whereby unsuspecting victims are targeted.

According to Mpumalanga SAPS spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, the warning comes after a female victim who reportedly met a male friend via social media and she is said to have believed everything the swindler told her as he sounded legit and the two became close to a point that he promised to send a gift.

The fraudster was allegedly also working with a female person  believed to be an accomplice who allegedly called victim and claimed to be working for a courier company in possession of a package to be delivered to the victim.

“However, for the parcel to be delivered the victim had to pay upfront an amount of R1850.

The victim fell for the trap and deposited the money, however the caller called for the second time demanding R 6000 of which the victim only managed to pay R3000,” said Mohlala.

He stated further that no gift was delivered to the victim and the online friend as well as the alleged courier woman were nowhere to be found, both their mobile phones had been off ever since.

A fraud case was then registered at Mhluzi SAPS on Saturday, 05 November 2022.

The matter is still under investigation.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has since taken the opportunity to caution the public against these internet fraudsters who are out there to prey on innocent victims thereby defrauding them of their hard earned cash.