Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Simcard scamming a new trend found at shopping centres

 Eldorado Park SAPS has issued a warning to  the community about a new trend of scam. This comes after community members alleged that they are being approached by male and female strangers who allege that they work for a mobile network and are promoting free sim cards that contain data. 

 

They are usually spotted attracting unsuspecting people around the shopping  centres in the Greater Eldorado Park policing vicinity.

 

“The modus operandi/tactics used by the suspects are usually approaching potential victim and request to upgrade their cellphone network ,as well as issuing them with a free data sim card,” said Constable Roxanne Gibb, Eldorado Park SAPS spokesperson.

 

She explained that upon agreeing to their request, the scammers thereafter remove the victim's simcard and insert their own. They then request that one gives the network time to complete the process and that all your free data will be received after completion of the processes.

 

“After a while someone alleging to be from the call centre of the mobile network company contacts you to inform you that they are still working on the process and that is why you still have no network service,” she said.

 

She further stated that the victims thereafter realise that money has been taken or transferred out of their bank account and by this time it is too late to retrieve the money or locate the suspect/s ,and when the victims approach the mobile networking companies in this regards they are then informed that their simcards are inactive. 

 

“Eldorado Park SAPS therefore encourages members of the community to be vigilant and refrain from falling prey to these scammers and to also not allow anyone to insert any simcards into their cellphones alleging that it is for free data purposes. The community members are hereby advised to instead approach a legitimate cellphone store or directly contact the network provider for any upgrades or free data requests or enquiries,” Gibb ended 

 

The police are appealing with community when they notice or are aware of any suspicious behaviour being committed in this manner to immediately alert Eldorado Park SAPS on 011-946-0300 or SAPS Crime Stop Hotline on 08600-10111 or use the MySAPS app.

 

 

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