Locals fell prey to fraud worth thousands of rands
According to the police, the scams varying from digital theft to in-person deception, have robbed individuals of their hard-earned money, proving that fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their tactics.
'To protect yourself from fraud and cyber threats, never respond to emails or phone messages claiming to be from your bank that request personal details, as legitimate banks will never ask for this information via email. Never share your online ID, password, or PIN with anyone, and avoid writing them down or saving them on your desktop. Always ensure you log off or sign out after completing an internet banking session, and never leave your computer unattended while logged in. Avoid doing online banking in public areas or on computers accessible to strangers. Regularly change your PIN and passwords, set reasonable transaction limits on your accounts, and only provide credit card details to trustworthy companies. Lastly, if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is – always remain cautious and vigilant when dealing with financial transactions,' said Captain Eddie Hall, spokesperson of SAPS Witbank as he warns the public against cases like this.
For one unsuspecting victim in Watermeyer street on May 23, a simple phone notification turned into a nightmare.
According to police a man was woken up by the sound of his phone beeping, and checked his account only to find that R18 700 had been withdrawn via a PayShap transaction—an app he never authorised for such use. The realisation was sudden as the reality of cyber fraud hit home.
On May 22, there were a few cases reported. In Strydom Street a man encountered three individuals – two women and one man – who claimed to be employees of a national fuel company.
They assured him they were assisting customers with their points cards for petrol purchases. Trusting them, he allowed them to take his picture and handed over his ID details. What followed was financial devastation – R81 000 was withdrawn from his bank account across multiple locations.
In another incident in Uthingo Park, Tasbet Park, a woman found herself unknowingly tricked by a scam that exploited trust and familiarity.
According to police she received a message on WhatsApp, supposedly from her pastor, requesting an urgent money transfer due to a network issue.
Without questioning the legitimacy of the request, she transferred R3 000 to the provided account number, only to later receive confirmation that her pastor's number had been hacked.
'I never suspected it was a scam – I genuinely believed I was helping my pastor. My trust in him made me certain that his request was genuine, and I acted with a kind heart, simply wanting to support someone in need. It never crossed my mind that I could be deceived,' she said.
In another incident, a resident in Bankenveld Estate fall prey to an attack which came in the form of unexpected online money transactions.
On May 14, he noticed unusual deductions from his Absa account. Upon contacting the bank's fraud helpline, he was informed that his account had been cloned, resulting in a staggering loss of R39 524.64.
Breaking news at your fingertips … Follow WITBANK NEWS on our website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok
Chat to us: info@witbanknews.co.za
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
2 hours ago
- The Citizen
Tshwane mayor faces jail threat over fresh produce market neglect
After years of neglect, the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market must be fixed within a month, or the city's top officials could end up behind bars. The High Court in Pretoria has handed down a ruling to force the City of Tshwane's mayor and manager to implement upgrades to the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market, as agreed upon in 2022, or face jail time. On Monday, the high court gave the city 30 days to comply with the ruling or mayor Nasiphi Moya and manager Johann Mettler could receive a one-month prison sentence, suspended for a year. This is after the city was found guilty of contempt of court for failing to fix the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market, despite having an R18 million budget. The court case Institute of Market Agents of South Africa chair Gjalt Hooghiemstra welcomed the ruling as the applicant for the declaratory order in January 2022, stating that the first respondent is responsible for providing and facilitating municipal services in terms of Section 1 of the Local Government, Municipal Systems Act, 32 of 2000. In October 2022, Judge AJ Meersingh ordered the city to submit a precinct draft plan within 60 days and a final plan within 180 days of the order. This included the implementation of the contents of the approved precinct plan in respect of fire and smoke detection compliance, electrical connectivity and facility compliance, security and checkpoint management, lift and hoist facility compliance, repairs to all sanitation facilities and refuse removal facility compliance. ALSO READ: Marabastad Market wins reprieve as stakeholders seek amicable solution It had to be done within 60 days of the date from the city's allocated budget of R18 million for that year. Legal consequences for non-compliance Legal expert Dr Llewelyn Curlewis said the mayor could actually go to jail. 'As the leader of the city, she is, at the end of the day, the responsible party. 'Just as a company's directors, in terms of Article 334 of the Criminal Procedure Code, are responsible for the actions and omissions of the company, so the mayor and the city clerk are responsible for the actions and omissions of the city council. 'But the court is not going to arrest the mayor tomorrow and throw her in jail if it has not yet given the mayor a reasonable time to ensure that the court order is implemented,' he added. Curlewis said the current mayor could go to jail even if the verdict was made when another mayor was in power. City's response to the judgment Curlewis recommended that the mayor work on the court order immediately. City spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the city was analysing the court judgment in detail to fully understand its implications. ALSO READ: A 'mockery' or 'flimsy attack'? ANC and DA scrap over Tshwane city manager's appointment 'This involves consulting with legal experts, assessing the potential impact on municipal operations and services and determining a course of action. 'The city remains committed to acting in compliance with the law and will communicate any further steps or decisions once the review is complete,' he said. Political background and governance issues The former Tshwane mayor, DA Tshwane caucus leader Cilliers Brink, who was mayor when the events unfolded, said the governance support officer was forced to resign by the ANC coalition in January and the Tshwane Economic Development Agency (Teda) mandate over the market, and much else besides, was terminated. 'Ashraf Adam was assigned to negotiate with the market agents during 2024, which he did. Those negotiations were going well. 'The Teda was also mandated to play a supervisory role at the market, since it was clear the management there was delinquent,' he said. Brink said it was clear that the situation had been neglected by the city's political leadership. 'It is also clear that the MMC for economic development, Sarah Mabotsa, has not been of any assistance to the mayor in managing this situation,' he said. Southern Africa Agricultural Initiative CEO Francois Rossouw welcomed the judgment against the city and said it should be seen as a clear warning to other municipalities managing fresh produce markets to take the management, maintenance and expansion of these markets seriously. NOW READ: Tshwane mayor vows to clean up the capital city
The Citizen
4 hours ago
- The Citizen
Alleged serial rapist arrested in Shayamoya
A 26-year-old man, believed to be a serial rapist, has been arrested and linked to more than 20 cases of housebreaking and rape in Nkobongo and Shayamoya. Umhlali police detectives arrested the suspect at a house in Shayamoya last Thursday. Police allege he targeted young women travelling home late from work and women living alone in rented rooms. They say he broke windows or doors to gain entry, stole valuables including mobile phones and appliances and raped his victims. Investigators believe he is connected to more than 20 cases but have so far charged him with eight rapes committed between last August and June this year. Additional charges are expected. iLembe police spokesperson Priya Nunkumar-Bukum confirmed he appeared in the KwaDukuza Magistrates' Court on a house robbery charge and was remanded in custody. Rise Up Movement founder Joshua Daniel praised the arrest, saying it brought relief to the community. 'This was achieved through the joint efforts of Umhlali Saps under dedicated leadership, working hand-in-hand with committed stakeholders. The rapist stalked his victims before committing these crimes,' he said. Daniel said the organisation's awareness campaigns had encouraged residents to report crimes, The organisation continues to offer counselling and support to victims of rape and abuse. Shayamoya councillor Collen Mdletshe also commended police, describing the suspect as a menace to women everywhere, especially those living alone. 'I hope there will be more arrests, because housebreakings are getting out of hand. Last weekend alone, two people lost everything – even groceries were stolen. One was a Grade 11 pupil who lives alone,' he said. Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here, or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below.
IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
Capitec employee wins legal battle against debarment after accepting R100 stolen by colleague
A Capitec employee has successfully challenged his debarment by the bank. A Capitec Bank employee has successfully challenged his debarment, which occurred after the bank accused him of colluding with a colleague by accepting stolen money. Mhleli Glwala, who had been diligently working at the Gugulethu branch of Capitec since June 2015, experienced a career upheaval when his colleague, referred to as DM, manipulated a client through a phone banking app. In June 2024, DM performed an authorised transaction on the client's account and stole R1000 using a cash send. DM subsequently contacted Glwala via WhatsApp, instructing him to withdraw the illicit funds and deposit R900 into his son's account and keep R100 for himself. Following this request, the situation escalated when DM later demanded Glwala delete the WhatsApp message, a request he refused. An investigation ensued and Gwala provided the forensic team with the WhatsApp text. When the investigation was concluded, Gwala was charged with misconduct and accused of dishonesty for assisting DM to withdraw money he had fraudulently taken from a client's account. In his defence, Gwala denied any wrongdoing and maintained that he was unaware that the transaction was fraudulent. In July 2024, he was subjected to a polygraph test to verify the truthfulness of his claims and the test results indicated that he was not honest regarding his knowledge about the unauthorised nature of the transaction. During the disciplinary hearing, the bank focused on the polygraph results, however, Gwala presented evidence from DM who testified that he acted alone when defrauding the client and confirmed that Gwala was not aware of the nature of the transaction. However, the chairperson found him guilty of misconduct and noted that Gwala blindly followed through with instructions without verifying the source of the funds and reasons for DM's request. He was issued with a final written warning and a two day suspension. Despite the sanction, the bank initiated debarment proceedings against Gwala, and the panel decided to debar him in December 2024.
