Johannesburg: The South African Police Service (SAPS) has issued a warning to the public about a scam circulating in several provinces, involving fraudulent letters and phone calls that appear to originate from the SAPS.

According to South African Government News Agency, these fake letters, often sent through WhatsApp, bear the SAPS logo and include names and contact details of senior SAPS officers, along with addresses of legitimate SAPS offices. In some cases, scammers even use the names of non-existent police stations. This information is used to deceive recipients into sharing personal details under false pretenses.

The letters’ content is often tailored to the victim’s location, with changes made to names, addresses, and contact persons to make the communication seem authentic. Additionally, the WhatsApp messages are often preceded by phone calls from individuals posing as SAPS officials, falsely claiming that criminal cases have been opened against the victim. These imposters then coerce the victim into paying a certain amount to make the supposed case “disappear.”

Community members are urged to remain vigilant and avoid responding to these fraudulent messages or phone calls. They should not provide or confirm personal information such as ID numbers, addresses, or banking details, and should not pay any money to these scammers. Importantly, SAPS does not communicate with the public via WhatsApp or video calls.

Anyone who has received or responded to these fraudulent messages or phone calls is encouraged to report the matter and open a case at their nearest police station.