A slick new scam has hit Gqeberha, where fraudsters posing as police and customs officers scare victims with fake drug smuggling and money laundering charges — or trick them by saying a parcel with drugs or counterfeit documents is waiting for them at the port.
In both cases, the victims are cajoled into handing over money or logging on to fake police apps, only to have their bank accounts emptied.
Eastern Cape police say they are investigating the scam as an extortion racket.
“The investigation is ongoing,” provincial police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said.
Some complainants said the scammers video-called them on WhatsApp, pretending to be police officers or customs officials, and dressed in full uniform.
They were told they had been linked to serious crimes such as drug smuggling, money laundering or even murder.
The goal, they said, was to scare them into believing they were in big trouble — and it worked.
In some cases, a different tactic is used, with the victims being informed that a parcel is waiting for them at the port.
The scammers then claim the parcel contains illegal items such as drugs or counterfeit passports, and pressure the victims to pay a fee or provide their banking details to resolve the problem.
To make it look real, the crooks even get the victims to download fake police apps.
A reporter called some of the numbers used by the scammers, but it went straight to voicemail.
A Gqeberha man, who asked not to be named, said he had lost everything, “right in front of my eyes”.
He said he was conned out of R36,000.
“On April 10, about 9am, I got a call,” the man said.
“The guy said he was a sergeant from the Pretoria police station. He told me I was linked to someone involved in sex trafficking, money laundering and murder.”
He was then called back on WhatsApp video, where he saw a man in full police uniform with South African and police flags behind him.
The victim was told to download the SAPS app to speak to a prosecutor.
“The real app didn’t work, so they sent me a link. It looked the same,” he said.
“I clicked a button to start the secure line, and my screen just showed the SAPS logo on a blue background.”
Behind that blue screen, the scammers emptied his bank account.
“I didn’t know it was happening. I couldn’t see a thing.
“At the same time, they started WhatsApping my wife, pretending to be me, asking her for money. She knew something was wrong and came rushing to my work.”
He was still on the call when she arrived, but the fake officer warned him not to say a word, or he’d put his family in danger.
An hour after the call ended, he discovered his money was gone.
“We opened a case that same afternoon at the Walmer police station.
“But the bank told us the money had already been split into several accounts and could not be recovered.
“They also said there was no malware, so they couldn’t help us.”
Lorraine resident Gerda Heyl said she received a call on April 15 from someone saying he was a police officer.
“They told me there was a parcel with drugs linked to me in Cape Town, and I had to pay money to make it go away. It all sounded so real.
“The man was in full police uniform, and it looked like he was sitting inside a police van. It was a video call.
“I could even hear police radios in the background, which made me believe it even more.”
Heyl said he spoke clearly and confidently, like a real officer who knew what he was doing.
“I was scared because I didn’t want to get into trouble for something I didn’t do.
“They told me if I didn’t pay, I could be arrested or face serious charges. The whole thing felt very official.
“I tried to stay calm, but I was worried and confused. I didn’t know what to do at first.
“I wanted to believe it wasn’t real, but everything about the call made it seem like it was true.
“I paid them R23,000,” she said.
Tracy Schoeman said she suspected something was wrong when the caller, saying he was from “Bloemfontein Customs”, said her parcel contained passports, blank bank cards and drugs.
“They said a package I’d sent to India contained 16 passports, 68 blank bank cards and 140g of MDMA [commonly known as ecstasy].
“They told me they’d patch me through to the SAPS to open a case,” she said.
“He even knew my ID number — that’s what made me pause. But the whole thing felt too strange.”
She hung up before giving any personal details, but fears others may not be so lucky.
“I assume the scam goes as far as asking for bank statements to prove you’re not part of it. Then they get you to give a one-time pin — and in seconds, your money is gone.”
Walmer Community Policing Forum chair Denton van Vuuren warned the public that these scammers went to great lengths to appear authentic.
“They create fake apps, dress in uniform and speak fluently about police procedures. But real police will never ask you to download apps or hand over OTPs.
“They played on fear. They looked and sounded official. But they were thieves. I watched it happen — helpless. By the time you realise what’s going on, you’re already broke.”
Ward 1 councillor Dries van der Westhuyzen revealed details about the scam on Facebook.
“There is a scam at the moment where you will receive a WhatsApp video call from ‘customs’ [officials] in full customs gear, where they say a parcel has arrived for you, but it has drugs inside and they need to verify your bank details and money.
“Then a ‘police officer’ will also speak on the call, dressed in full SAPS regalia, explaining that you are in big trouble, you must pay X amount of money.
“The community member then pays money, and thereafter, the money is gone. There have been several cases already opened.”
Policing activist and whistle-blower Patricia Mashale said when criminals gained access to official uniforms, equipment and insider information, it became easier for them to deceive innocent people.
“This kind of corruption not only harms victims financially but also destroys trust in our law enforcement agencies.
“I urge the police to investigate thoroughly and hold anyone involved accountable.
“The public must be protected from those who abuse their power for personal gain.”
The Herald
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