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Three Newcastle residents recently appeared in the Vrede Magistrate Court, facing fraud charges, after initially being arrested by the Newcastle police on 3 March 2021.
The suspects were taken into custody after it emerged that they targeted pensioners at various post offices and homes during the pensioner pay-outs. These smooth talkers gained their victims’ trust by pretending to be SASSA officials or people selling traditional medicine (muthi).
According to the SAPS, on the day of their arrest, the trio left Newcastle with a hired car, headed to Memel, checking the local post office for prospective victims. Being an unfruitful stop, they proceeded to Zamani Township, where they engaged in a door-to-door campaign looking for potential targets. It was then that the police caught wind of their activities, and the suspects were arrested.
Do you know anyone who has been the victim of such crimes or know of people involved in defrauding people? Let us know in the comment section below.
