The public is urged to be vigilant of unscrupulous fraudsters scamming unsuspecting victims in the name of helping them get more cash from their smart shopper cards from reputable retail supermarkets.
The call was made by Mpumalanga police after a man in his 50s from Pienaar, outside Nelspruit was defrauded of about R70 000.
According to police information, a suspect approached the victim holding a flyer with a picture attached at eMoyeni Mall outside Mbombela.
“It is said that he pretended to assist the victim in registering for an application which will assist him in monitoring accumulated points on his smart shopper card on his cellphone,” said Colonel Donald Mdhluli.
“While busy with the process, it is alleged that the suspect somehow tampered with his banking App.”
Mdhluli said after the fraudulent deal was conducted, the victim learned that his money was somehow transferred to an unknown account.
This was when he realised that he had lost a chunk of his money. No arrest has been made at the moment.
Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Manamela, members of the public to be vigilant and refuse assistance from strangers as this can put them in a compromising position.
“We are definitely [hot] on the heels of the suspects and it is just a matter of time before we nail them,” said Manamela.
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