Katlego Sekhu
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has issued an urgent warning to the public regarding a fraudulent scam that is currently circulating in various provinces, involving fake letters and phone calls falsely claiming to be from the SAPS.
According to the statement, scammers are using official-looking documents distributed via WhatsApp, often featuring the SAPS logo, as well as the names and contact details of senior SAPS officers. Some of these fraudulent letters even include addresses of real SAPS offices or fictitious police stations created to add credibility.
The scam involves con artists contacting victims through phone calls, posing as police officials. These imposters falsely claim that criminal cases have been opened against the recipient and then pressure them into making cash payments to have the supposed charges dropped.
The scammers tailor the content of the letters to match the victim’s location – changing names, addresses, and contact persons to make the message appear legitimate and urgent.
“These scams are designed to extract personal information and money from unsuspecting victims,” SAPS warned.
SAPS has stressed that it does not communicate with the public via WhatsApp or video calls, and will never request payment in exchange for making a criminal case “disappear.”
Community members are urged to remain vigilant at all times:
- Do not respond to these fraudulent messages or phone calls
- Do not provide or confirm any personal information such as ID numbers, addresses, or banking details
- Do not pay these “scammers” any money.
Anyone who has received or responded to such messages or calls is urged to report the incident and open a case at their nearest police station.
For official communication, SAPS advises the public to only rely on trusted platforms and direct engagement through recognised channels.
Read Next: Over 34 000 patients await surgery in Gauteng public hospitals
