The continued prevalence of phone scams and theft by false pretences has again come under the spotlight after a 58-year-old Ngwane Park man was allegedly defrauded of more than E118 000.
The swindler is said to have pretended to be a police officer, who wanted to assist the 58-year-old man. The latest incident occurred on Tuesday in Manzini.
According to information released by the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), the man received a phone call from an individual who claimed to be a police officer.
The caller reportedly told the victim that his cellphone number had been hacked and was being used to scam other people.
He then allegedly offered to assist the man in blocking his bank account and instructed him to follow certain steps.
Unaware that he was being deceived, the victim followed the instructions provided by the caller. It was only after receiving bank notifications reflecting transactions from his account that the man realised he had allegedly fallen victim to a scam.
A total of E118 172.91 was allegedly taken from his bank account.
Police are now investigating the matter as a case of theft by false pretences, as confirmed by Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, Senior Superintendent Phindile Zwane.
The incident adds to concerns over the continued use of phone calls and impersonation by fraudsters to trick unsuspecting members of the public into disclosing information or carrying out transactions that result in the loss of money.
The police have repeatedly warned members of the public to be cautious when receiving calls from individuals claiming to represent law enforcement agencies or other institutions.
REPS stressed that police officers do not call individuals to discuss their banking details or conduct investigations over the phone.
Members of the public who receive suspicious calls from people claiming to be police officers have been advised to visit the nearest police station to verify the authenticity of the claims.
