Police probe Facebook ‘sad-story’ as scam
A 75-year-old man who sought donations from fellow South African expats for a family he claimed had been critically injured in a car crash is under investigation by police.
Jan Coetsee, who runs the 16,000-member Safri-Kiwi Facebook group, denies the allegations and claims he was the victim of a scam.
Members of the group became concerned after Coetsee posted the latest in a series of heartwrenching pleas calling for donations to help a South African couple airlifted to hospital on Labour day.
According to the post, the couple’s twin daughters needed looking after, and money was needed for a ticket to bring their grandmother over from South Africa.
Donations poured in, but some members questioned why media didn’t report the crash, which supposedly involved a rock being thrown at the couple’s campervan from an overbridge.
Police, hospitals and Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust also had no knowledge of the accident.
Coetsee posted he had been told of a radio interview with witnesses and bystanders, and had seen a photo of the damaged camper in a news blog.
Nicolette Hertz of Hamilton donated $200. ‘‘I have seen a few of the ‘sad stories’ posted by Jan Coetsee and this latest one pulled at my heart strings.’’
But after having doubts, Hertz demanded her money back and complained to police. Coetsee returned Hertz’s money on October 30, and police didn’t pursue the complaint.
Coetsee said he had spoken with the grandmother in South Africa, but then someone else in a ‘‘strange, female voice’’ started to answer his calls and asked for the money to be transferred.
‘‘I mentioned that I would rather wait for the travel agents details and I would put the money with the travel agent. And that is more or less where the matter has ended because I never was given the banking accounts or name of the travel agent. I still have the money, the donations intact pending an outcome,’’ he said.
He said he has ‘‘no problem’’ returning people’s donations.
Sergeant Scott Scherer said police were investigating potential scams posted to the Safri-Kiwi Facebook page.
‘‘We need to hear from individuals who have passed over money, and then we will link those individuals to the Facebook page that applies to them.’’
Police urged caution when donating money online, particularly through social media.