VREDENBURG – The South African Police Service (SAPS) has warned local businesses to be on alert after an unknown man allegedly posed as a Vredenburg police officer to solicit blanket donations.

According to Vredenburg SAPS, the suspect has been contacting businesses in the area while falsely identifying himself as “Capt Moodley” from Vredenburg SAPS and requesting donations of blankets.

Police confirmed that there is no member by that name stationed at Vredenburg SAPS and warned that the individual is fraudulently using the SAPS name to obtain goods.

Fraudsters posing as police officers to solicit donations have been operating in South Africa for several years. In other areas, incidents of fraudsters who pretend to be police captains asking for donations have been reported as early as 2022.

Weslander warned readers in 2025 about a similar scam in Saldanha.

One business has already been approached by the suspect using the cellphone number 060 897 6985.

Capt. Tania Helfrich, spokesperson for the West Coast District Police, said SAPS will never send out requests of this nature to solicit donations from businesses or members of the public.

She urged the public not to fall victim to the scam and to verify any requests claiming to be from SAPS before responding. Anyone who receives a similar call or message is encouraged to report it to Vredenburg SAPS immediately.

Police are investigating the matter.