Atlantis police have had their fair share of scamming cases where people’s money were stolen in the blink of an eye, according to police Captain Lisa Munro.
She explained scammers will target people of all backgrounds, ages and income levels, which means no-one is immune to them. Munro says the types of scams that currently stand out, and are being reported to the police station in Atlantis, are:
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Investment fraud – “Be careful when deciding to invest your money,” she warned. “Do your research and make sure the company you invest in is a legitimate one. You must know how investments work.”
If the returns on the investment are too good to be true, then they are indeed too good to be true. Investments are usually for long term, and interest on investments grows slowly over time. There is no easy and quick profit when it comes to investments.
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Fake bank employees
will phone you and tell you funds have fraudulently been taken from your bank account. Your money is gone. You will start to panic and the person pretending to be from your bank will ask you to confirm a few of your details for the funds to be returned to your account, and you’ll hand them over without thinking twice.
. While social media offers are a convenient way for customers to engage with banks, be careful of how much information you post on a platform that is visible to everyone. Scammers will spot this information and possibly use it as a reason to call you, to help you resolve the problem you are experiencing.
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Vehicle scams occur when first-time buyers with no experience or assistance with buying vehicles, is sold a broken piece of scrap which has been advertised on online sites and social media platforms. Fixing the vehicle would cost more than the victim has paid and sometimes that “vehicle” may even be irreparable.
Also vehicles advertised on social media or online sites, the buyer will do a payment via EFT without seeing the vehicle, and trusting that it will be delivered and this never happens. If you haven’t viewed the vehicle and the seller is asking for a deposit, or holding fee, or transport fees (because the car is in another province), you can bet your last rand that the car doesn’t exist and you are being scammed.
Also if a seller’s phone continuously goes to voicemail after a few days, whether you get alternative communication via mail or SMS in that time or not, it is not a good sign.
“Unfortunately scams are constantly evolving, and criminals are forever finding new and more innovative ways to get you to part with your hard-earned cash,” Munro urges. Being scammed can be disastrous and have devastating effects on victims and their families, as it causes both financial ruin and emotional harm.
“Victims of scammers feel helpless when a lot of money is lost and when the scammer is nowhere to be found.”
. If you are unsure about any transaction please make contact with Detective Sergeant Eldridge Mckenzie of Atlantis on 021 571 8526.
