20 Aug 2018

Police in Tonota have warned members of the public to be on the look-out for a criminal scamming syndicate operating under the pretence of being police officers targeting automatic teller machine (ATM) users in the village.

In an interview Tonota Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officer, Superintendent Gagoitsiwe Seisa, told BOPA that they have recorded about three cases in which people were swindled of their money by the said perpetrators.

According to Supt Seisa, the culprits target ATM in the village and they introduce themselves as ununiformed police.

When approaching an unsuspecting victim, they would ask if the victim has managed to access their money.

He said they would then claim the ATM had previously been a target of scam, and then insist the victim to submit their ATM card to them in order to go and check if the card has not been duplicated.

Supt Seisa said they would then ask for the victims pin number claiming to check if the card had not been tampered with at the police station, and instruct the owner of the card to remain at the ATM until they return, only then would the victim realise they had been conned.

Supt Seisa appealed to residents to be vigilant when they access ATMS machines because the thieves can pounce on unsuspecting people and can be very convincing when they con people of their hard earned monies.

He advised that should any person come across such people claiming to offer them help in any way, they should ask the person to reveal their police officer identity card.

Supt Seisa said every police officer has an official work identification which they should produce when requested, therefore advised residents to insist on anyone claiming to be ununiformed police officer to produce such.

Further, he said they could also request for the person to accompany them to the nearest police station in order to verify if the said person is a police officer.

Supt Seisa also explained that there was no way a police officer could present themselves to a person and claim to investigate a case which the involved person had never reported.

He said the procedure is that the police can only investigate something that has been reported to them.

He therefore advised residents to be vigilant and exercise caution. ENDS