SAPS downplays danger of Black Axe scam syndicate

THE SAPS’ cybercrimes unit has downplayed the danger a syndicate called Black Axe poses despite a warning from a company which assists victims of Romance and 419 scams and a private investigations company, Royal Investigations.

The unit said there is no proof that Black Axe is targeting South Africans despite Fight Against Cyber Romance Scams assisting some 80 victims who have been duped out of millions. Operatives of the syndicate use Facebook and other dating platforms to lure unsuspecting victims.

Last week, Saturday Star reported that Black Axe is believed to be active in Kempton Park and Smit Street in the Joburg CBD, and Parklands, Table View and Somerset West in the Western Cape.

Kempton Park is believed to be a hub for the syndicate because of its proximity to the airport. Founder and CEO of Fight Against Cyber Romance Scams, Zelda Myburgh, said the syndicate is already quite established in every province and major cities and is now moving into smaller rural areas.

The cybercrimes unit’s spokesperson, Brigadier Thandi Mbambo, said they are currently only dealing with one Black Axe matter, which saw the arrest of eight suspects.

“The matter is in court, and they are busy with the bail application appeals,” said Mbambo.

The unit is also dealing with 11 romance scams, which saw three arrests, but would not say if these are linked to the Black Axe syndicate.

Other arrests in Johannesburg involving members of the syndicate saw Interpol and the FBI joining forces to extradite a suspect believed to have scammed at least 100 000 US citizens.

Victims of romance scams are usually older, widowed women who have accessed online dating websites but have little knowledge of how to navigate the traps that can be found on the internet.

While few victims who have parted with their money have been able to recover their money, Mbambo said the recovery process could take some time.

“Yes, the money can be recovered where the court is requested to make an order in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act, where the money is still available in South Africa.

“The difficulty is when money has been transferred to foreign destinations. The Mutual Legal Assistance process is invoked to solicit assistance from the foreign countries. This takes time, and legal documents need to be drawn up to facilitate and have the recovery of the funds effected.

“Money can also be recovered when a freezing order is obtained on a particular account where the money is still available,” she said.

In South Africa, Black Axe has already made off with millions, with one victim losing as much as R14 million and another parting with R2m over just six months.

“The key to preventing people from being scammed lies in repeatedly educating the public on these types of scams, how to avoid them and where these types of matters should be reported for action to be taken, and where possible, the assistance that could be rendered to victims,” Mbambo said.

But Myburgh paints a completely different picture of the threat Black Axe poses and says victims are coming to her for assistance instead of the police.

Fight Against Cyber Romance Scams is in possession of several fake ID numbers and bank accounts, which it has brought to the attention of Home Affairs and several leading banks. Myburgh said the scamsters are so sophisticated that often people do not even realise they are being scammed until it’s too late.

“You can have a lone guy sitting with a laptop in a garage, anywhere in the country, pretending to have a romantic interest in someone. They have this knack of luring vulnerable women into their web, and the rest is history. This is why you often see young Nigerian men driving flashy cars and shopping at expensive stores. Most of these guys have not worked an honest day in their lives, so you have to wonder where the money comes from,” Myburgh said.

And while the SAPS’ cybercrimes unit has not sounded the alarm, Myburgh called on South Africans to be extra vigilant when surfing the internet or replying to suspect messages and emails.

“Just don’t do it. It’s not worth it. They make all kinds of promises of financial rewards, but in the end you’ll be the one losing out,” she said.