Durban, KZN – Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) has warned residents after a man impersonating a South African Police Service (SAPS) officer attempted to defraud several people in Ethekweni with promises of permanent employment.
A 34-year-old unemployed man reported the scam to RUSA on Thursday morning. He said the suspect, identifying himself as Gumede, contacted him over the phone and demanded R5,000 in exchange for a permanent job with SAPS.
According to the victim, the conversation with Gumede lasted two days, during which the suspect instructed him to meet at multiple locations in the Verulam CBD with the cash.
“For a deposit of R2,000, Gumede promised me documents, medicals, and answers to a psychometric test. When the balance of R3,000 was paid, I would receive sets of uniform and report for duty as a Police Officer next Monday,” the victim told RUSA.
The victim grew suspicious when the meeting locations kept changing and was then asked to send the money from a store via a pay point transaction using a reference number. The suspect terminated the conversation when the victim questioned the process.
RUSA officers also discovered that a woman working at a local bottle store in Ethekweni had been defrauded of R2,000 by the same individual.
Authorities are urging residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious attempts to solicit money under the guise of official employment.
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Picture: X/@SAPoliceService
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
