Agro-based fraud a threat to food security
NO matter how good the farming season may be, if fraud increases in the agricultural sector, national food security is threatened.
Agriculture is one of the pillars of the Zimbabwean economy. We are looking at cases involving sale and supply of fake seed and fertilisers to unsuspecting farmers. It has been observed that criminals take advantage of the demand for seed and fertilisers during the farming season.
Fraudsters have already packaged the fake seed and fertilisers in bags of registered and certified seed and fertiliser manufacturing companies to maximise on this crime.
The idea behind using such packaging is meant to conceal the crime, thus making it difficult for innocent farmers to detect the fraud.
Let the public and farmers be warned that there is a fraudster calling or identifying himself as Dr Moses Chingwena.
This pseudo Chingwena contacts his targets who are mainly unsuspecting farmers and advises them that he owns a company that sells and supplies agricultural equipment in South Africa such as tractors and implements.
Once his victims express interest in purchasing his products, he gives them the South African company’s bank accounts to transfer money for the equipment, the condition being that once the payment reflects in his account, he will deliver the goods.
This crime is a typical example of cyber related fraud in agricultural sector.
To prevent or minimise such incidences of agro-based frauds involving advancing money to accounts in foreign countries, farmers may consider some of the following measures;
Do due diligence process before advancing money to any account either locally or foreign. It should be noted that cyber criminals are not easy to locate once they commit the crime, especially when the offence is committed outside Zimbabwe. Jealously guard their money. When money is lost, it should be understood that investigating a matter that has extra-territorial jurisdiction involves many processes that has a bearing on recovery. Farmers intending to purchase farm equipment outside Zimbabwe should ensure that they establish the existence of the company and its legitimacy through the process of mutual assistance.
Be wary of products or equipment they see on social media and then rush into advancing payment. Jealously guard their money so that it does not fall into the hands of fraudsters.
Promptly report to the nearest police station when they suspect a scam. In addition, they should endeavour to verify with local police on certain transactions before forwarding money; enquiring is not a crime. Be wary of purchases done through social media such as WhatsApp and Facebook as chances are high that account handlers for genuine companies may have been hacked.
Tom Muleya is a Detective Assistant Inspector working under the Commercial Crimes Division. He is also a member of the National Cyber Security Awareness Taskforce Zimbabwe. Participate in the fight against agro- based frauds. Think Security. Feedback, WhatsApp line: 0772 764 043, or e- mail: teezmuleya@ gmail. com.