Two men are expected to appear in court soon after being arrested in connection with an alleged online marketplace fraud linked to Observatory in Cape Town. Police say the pair are also suspected of scamming other victims.
The men were arrested on Monday at Riverlands Mall by members of the Drone Unit, who had responded to information about a possible fraud incident at the centre. According to Western Cape police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut, officers spoke to security personnel and the alleged victim at the scene.
How the alleged scam worked
Traut said the complainant had advertised a camera for sale on Facebook Marketplace and had arranged to hand it over to prospective buyers once he received notification of an immediate payment of R29,000. The money, however, never appeared in his bank account. That raised his suspicions that the payment was fraudulent.
“The complainant explained that he had advertised a camera for sale on Facebook Marketplace and had arranged to hand it over to prospective buyers after receiving notification of an immediate payment of R29,000. However, the money did not reflect in his bank account, raising suspicions that the payment was fraudulent,” Traut said.
The two men were taken to the Woodstock police station for profiling, and the complainant opened a case of attempted fraud.
Links to other cases
Further checks by police connected both men to an existing fraud case registered at Milnerton SAPS. Investigators also obtained information linking them to other incidents in which three earlier victims had reportedly been scammed.
“Both suspects were subsequently arrested and detained at Woodstock SAPS on charges of fraud. Two cellphones were also confiscated as part of the investigation,” Traut said.
Police praised the cooperation between their members and private security personnel at the mall, saying it helped make the response to the incident swift.
Police warning: proof of payment is not payment
Police used the case to urge the public to be careful when buying and selling goods online. Traut warned that scammers often rely on fake proof of payment and fraudulent instant payment notifications to deceive their targets.
“A payment notification, screenshot, or proof of payment is not confirmation that money has been received,” he said. Sellers should independently check that the funds have reached their bank accounts before handing over any goods, however convincing a buyer’s proof of payment may look.
Advice for buyers and sellers
Traut also encouraged people to keep records of their online transactions, including messages, contact details and proof of communication, and to report suspected fraud at their nearest police station.
“Buyers and sellers should exercise caution when dealing with unknown individuals and avoid allowing pressure or urgency to influence their decisions,” he said.
What to watch
The suspects have not been named, and police have not said exactly when they will appear in court or which court will hear the matter. As with any criminal case, the allegations have yet to be tested, and both men are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The cases linked to the pair at Milnerton and the three earlier alleged victims may form part of the ongoing investigation, though police have not said whether further charges will be added.
For anyone selling items online, the case is a reminder of a simple rule: wait until the money is actually in your account before you hand anything over.