NELSPRUIT – The Police in Mpumalanga are concerned about people who fall prey to the underworld criminals who use social media platforms to target unsuspecting victims. Some end up being victims of fraud, robberies, kidnappings, rapes as well as murder as a result of these convincing tactics.

In spite of the public being cautioned concerning these practices, many continue to be pounced by perpetrators who masquerade as authentic individuals yet they are not.

In 2021, a 23-year-old man from the Kingdom of Eswatini reportedly lured his victim using one of the social media platforms, enticing them to get into a love relationship with them. Once they got in, it is further alleged that the male suspect would arrange to meet with his victims in a secluded area where he would reportedly rob them of their belongings then raped them.

The incidents were reported to the police and the dockets assigned to a team of investigators from Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) in Pienaar who investigated and discovered that there was a possible serial rapist on the loose. They then traced and arrested the man in September 2021, at Matsulu. The suspect was charged for contravention of the Immigration Act after it was discovered that he did not have valid documents to be in South Africa, as well as four counts of rape and three for robbery.

His next court appearance will be at Matsulu Periodical Court on 22 September 2022. During his arrest, police also found some items belonging to the victims he robbed. It was then uncovered in the tour of the investigation that the victims were mainly enticed through social media platforms.

There are cases of fraud opened with the police whereby people were previously scammed of their hard earned cash either through lucrative deals, false competitions, buying of cars and other expensive items.

Police are calling on the public to be weary of these individuals and not entertain them. These people always seek new ways to defraud victims of their money. They even go to an extent of informing some victims that there is an inheritance left by their unknown family members. In the process, they would then entice their victims to pay a certain amount claiming to be for administration purposes for the funds to be released. The same dirty tricks they use to lure victims of false competitions. When such money shall have been transferred to the suspects, they then seize to communicate with the victims.

Police have since noticed that there are a number of people who have either been conned of their money after having seen expensive vehicles or household items advertised cheaply on social media where victims fell prey. It is against this backdrop that police request the public to always practice cautiousness.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Manamela has further advised members of the public to be vigilant when using social media platforms as perpetrators take advantage of these channels to prey on their victims. “There is nothing wrong with social media but there is something wrong with people who are using it to wrongly enrich themselves,” said the Provincial Commissioner.

Source: South African Police Service