South Africans are being warned to dwell vigilant on-line, as we formulation the festive season. With the price of residing disaster crippling the funds of thousands and thousands, our criminals are finding unusual and more crafty ways to trick of us into parting with worthy-wanted cash.

What is the gift-giving rip-off?

Alas, these sorts of crooks are working totally on social media platforms. Facebook has change into a favored looking out ground for scammers – as showcased by a peculiar ‘gift-giving’ racket. The cause is to wait on any individual on-line, and clutch support of their comely nature.

A sufferer from Mpumalanga now no longer too prolonged ago fell heinous of this rip-off…

• In a case publicised by SAPS, one female sufferer in Nelspruit struck-up an on-line friendship with a male individual on Facebook.
• The 2 became stop, to the level where he promised to ship her a present.
• Some time later, every other lady phoned the rip-off sufferer, claiming to work for a courier firm.
• She said that she became in possession of the gift, however required an up-entrance price of R1 850 for it to be delivered.
• The scammers then modified the phrases and prerequisites, and extorted R3 000 out of the unsuspecting lady.
• Sadly, there became no gift in any admire. The criminal pair then went unlit, turning off their telephones and cutting traces of communication.

Facebook and thoroughly different social media customers cautioned about fraudsters

In response, Mpumalanga SAPS confirmed that a fraud case has now been opened, and a criminal investigation is underway. Native authorities are fervent to enhance ‘digital literacy’ across the province – however it completely’s something every single with out a doubt one of us will enjoy to assume:

“Criminals are now exerting unusual systems to defraud of us of their laborious earned cash and with out a doubt one of frequently feeble systems is on-line fraud whereby unsuspecting victims are centered. As we formulation the festive season, police are warning community contributors to be more vigilant.”

“A fraud case became registered at Mhluzi SAPS on Saturday 5 November 2022. The subject is restful below investigation. Provincial Commissioner Semakaleng Manamela has since taken the chance to caution the public towards these internet fraudsters.” | Mpumalanga SAPS