The Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit in Gqeberha are warning the community to be wary and guarded against scamsters using the unit’s name and fictitious police officers’ names to extort money.
“We are getting reports that people from the Despatch area are receiving calls in respect of this scam. We did circulate the alert in Nelson Mandela Bay, but it seems that the problem is now extending beyond the metro,” said police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu.
The unit has received at least five complaints from people who alleged that a “police officer” from the specialised unit telephonically contacts people and inform them that they are suspects in rape and sexual offences cases.
“The bogus caller would request money varying from R5 000 to R7 000 to be paid. On only one occasion, an account number was given by the scammer. The caller would also indicate that the money was shared between himself and the prosecutor (name of prosecutor also fictitious),” said Colonel Naidu.
“The recipient of the call are innocent people who are neither complainants nor suspects in any of the cases investigated by the unit.
“At no stage will money be requested from any police official and that includes investigating officers for cases under investigation.
“If such a call is received, always contact the relevant unit or station before panicking and acceding to the request.
“Never accept any numbers provided by the caller to return their call,” concluded Colonel Naidu.
