Scammers are using emotional triggers
Despite a string of awareness articles published in this media publication, an increasing number of Zululanders are still being conned out of large amounts of cash through banking-related and SMS fraud, cybercrime, job scams and fraudulent social media sales.
And gauging from the reported cases, it would be misleading to assume that these opportunistic criminals are only targeting the poorest and most vulnerable citizens of society, including the elderly and unemployed.
The modus operandi involves sophisticated social engineering techniques used to trick people into making upfront payments for products and services, prize and lottery winnings, or various other opportunities which are never procured.
Just last week, KwaDukuza Saps warned people to be vigilant when buying vehicles or other items advertised on social media.
This comes in the wake of an increase in online fraud, where scammers post adverts for goods being offered at a reasonable rate, withdraw the money once payment is made and subsequently disappear without a trace. To avoid being scammed when buying a vehicle on social media platforms, police have urged buyers to request a police clearance certificate before negotiating.
Other red flags include the request for a deposit or an upfront payment, as well as reluctance from the seller to provide more contact information.
Those looking for love online are also not exempt from the cash trap as scammers play on emotional triggers to get one to provide money, gifts or personal details.
They often pretend to be travelling or working abroad so their new found partner would send them money willingly.
Others dupe sympathetic individuals into believing their emotional account of being cash-strapped victims of crime.
The most common tactic, however, involves ‘middle-men’ fronting as job recruiters at the municipality or a government department.
They scour vacancies and in exchange for cash, guarantee employment for job seekers.
In this edition, an unemployed Empangeni teacher lost thousands of rands in an online job scam which would supposedly secure him a teaching post at a school in Pongola.
No respectable company would use such a random method of recruitment, so if one is requested to part with cash to secure a job, this should raise a red flag immediately.
In all instances, common denominators remain – do not dish out personal or banking details to people online, and under no circumstances should one part with cash in the hope of gaining employment.
Beware of such unscrupulous acts. The last thing one needs in a time of recession and spiralling unemployment is to further lose assets and money that one has worked so hard to accumulate. As with everything, if it is too good to be true, it probably is! Do your homework research the goods and the buyer before purchasing any item online.