An alarming number of accommodation fraud cases have been reported at Table View Police Station in the past few weeks, police say, as they urge residents to remain cautious when spending money online.
The police station saw a spike in reported cases of accommodation for holidays or weekend getaways that had been advertised on social media.
Table View police spokesperson Capt Adriana Chandler says the scam usually follows the same pattern. After those looking for a holiday, contact the bogus seller, and they pay their deposit.
“When the victim goes to the address advertised, he or she is informed that the property is not advertised for rental and that a few people have come, insisting that a deposit was made. The ‘seller’ even posted fake photographs on the social media advertisement, which is removed as soon as the deposit is received,” Chandler told TygerBurger.
Police are issuing a stern warning to the perpetrators and warn the public to be more cautious.
A resident in Brooklyn, Milnerton, who wishes to remain anonymous, says accommodation fraud is not only happening in Table View, but in the Milnerton area as well.
“I’ve had enough of the constant knocking on my door of people asking about rooms to rent. Someone is using my address to make money out of these poor people who are desperate for a place to stay. The deposits are between R3 500 and R7 000 for rent, water and electricity,” she says.
She says that the people are claiming the money was paid into her account for the rooms.
“I’ve gone as far as showing them on my bank statements that no money was paid into my account. I felt very bad for this one lady as she made a loan to pay for the deposit. They (the scammers) take pictures of the properties and advertise on social media. When someone applies, they take you to the property and claim they lost the key to gain access, or the current tenant is not there. My advice is to never deposit money unless you’ve seen the property and have the key in your hands,” she says.
How to protect yourself from fraud and scams
The police have issued the following tips in order to avoid becoming a victim, and are urging people who have fallen victim to such scams, to report it to the police.
. Never pay a deposit into an account, before viewing the property in person. Always work through a reputable rental company or resort.
Social media advertisements are usually too good to be true if it appears so at first glance.
Trust your instinct.
. Never respond to emails or cellphone messages appearing to be from your bank, that request your personal details. Remember that no bank will ever ask you to confirm or update your account details by email.
. Never provide your online ID, password or PIN to anyone and never write them down or share them.
. Do not save your internet banking password on your desktop.
. Do not leave your computer unattended after you have entered your internet banking password.
. Always log off or sign off at the end of a session.
. Avoid doing internet banking in public areas such as internet cafés, or on any computer that can be accessed by people you do not know.
. Change your PIN and passwords frequently.
. Put sensible transaction limits on your accounts.
. Only provide your credit card details to reputable companies.
. Never send money or give credit card or online account details to anyone you do not know and trust.
