The South African Police Service (SAPS) has issued a public alert about a growing scam in which fraudsters impersonate SAPS officials to deceive and extort money from unsuspecting victims across the country.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk, the scam involves counterfeit letters sent via WhatsApp that appear to be official SAPS correspondence. These fraudulent messages often display the SAPS logo and include the names and contact details of real or fabricated senior officers, along with legitimate-looking police station addresses. In some instances, scammers even reference non-existent police stations to increase the credibility of their communications.
“These criminals manipulate official-looking details to convince victims they are dealing with real police officers,” Van Wyk said. “The letters are often tailored to the victim’s location, using modified names and contact information to appear authentic.”
The scam doesn’t stop at fake documents. Victims are also targeted through phone calls from individuals posing as SAPS officials. The impersonators falsely claim that a criminal case has been opened against the recipient, then demand payment to make the charges “go away.” This tactic relies on fear and urgency to pressure victims into transferring money.
SAPS urges the public to remain vigilant and follow these precautions:
* Ignore -suspicious WhatsApp messages or calls claiming to be from SAPS
* Do not disclose personal information such as ID numbers, home addresses, or banking details
* Never send money in response to these communications
SAPS has emphasized that it does not engage with the public through WhatsApp or video calls. Anyone who receives or responds to such fraudulent messages is strongly encouraged to report the incident and open a case at their nearest police station.
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