King Cetshwayo District police have urged the community to be more vigilant when responding to online advertisements as some of the adverts are not legitimate.
Cluster police spokesman, Captain Mbongeni Mdlalose, told the ZO that some of the adverts are fraudulent.
‘Innocent victims are falling prey to these advertisements by depositing money into accounts that fraudsters have set up without verifying the legitimacy of the sale.
‘Last year we received several complaints from local residents who have fallen prey to such bogus advertisements,’ said Mdlalose.
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He said after a victim had made a payment, the fraudsters would disappear without a trace.
‘Almost all these cases are undetectable because when suspects withdraw the money at big chain stores, they are not asked to produce their ID books.
‘Some withdraw money from an ATM after obtaining PIN numbers from their victims, and that makes it very difficult for us to trace, ’said Mdlalose.
‘Victims are often pressured to deposit the money immediately after being told that there are several offers to purchase an item and that it might no longer be available. Out of desperation to obtain the item, they fall prey to the fraudsters’ tricks.’
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