Several cases of fraud are currently under investigation in Port Alfred where fraudsters continue to find inventive ways to defraud innocent people.
Spokesperson Captain Mali Govender says despite several arrests being made, fraudster continue to prey on unsuspecting victims.
She says fraudsters have several modus operandis and the Port Alfred Commercial Crime Unit wanted to highlight some of them.
Example 1: Sim swop and porting of sim cards
The fraudster approaches you and pretends to be working for a cellular network and offers to port your cell number to another network. He then askes for your sim card and puts it into another phone. During this time, transactions are made from the victim's account.
Example 2: Lending bank cards
The fraudster will act desperate and approach a victim with a story that he forgot his card at home. He will then ask you to use your card to have funds deposited into it. Cash is then deposited into the victims' account which is then drawn out and handed to the suspect.
Govender says the money is from a scam as police who investigate fraud cases often end up talking to the unsuspecting "suspect" who claims that their bank card was used by an unknown individual. Members of the public are urged to NEVER give their banking details to anybody.
Example 3: Bargain hunting
Here, fraudsters make use of social media (Facebook) to sell products at absurdly low bargains. This can be anything from electronic equipment to beauty products. The advertisement will require a deposit and sometimes even an immediate and full payment which the victim will comply with. Govender says once the victim realises something is wrong they find the account to be closed and no products delivered.
Example 4: Applying for a loan
Govender says last month a victim responded to an advert she saw on a pamphlet which offered an instant loan, even if you have been blacklisted.
The fraudsters then ask for your payslip and copy of ID to be emailed in order to qualify for a loan with a very low-interest rate.
Govender says the victim complied and was "approved" on condition that she pays an amount of R3 000- needed for tax.
Once the victim did this, she got another message asking for R4 000 in order to "register" the loan.
She says at this stage the victim became suspicious and stopped the process.
Example 5: Winning something on Facebook Messenger
A complainant will receive a message from one of their friends/contacts on FB stating that they have won an amount of R15 million in a Facebook Lotto.
Your name will then appear on an attached list.
Govender says in one case reported to police the victim paid an amount of R538 000 for "tax".
Investigators later learned that scammers hacked onto Facebook accounts and used details of "friends".
The community are urged to be vigilant at all times and not give in to temptation.
