Two women, 59 and 53 years old, were detained for allegedly orchestrating a travel scam in which they purportedly duped 80 unsuspecting victims.
Investigators from the Western Cape Provincial Commercial Crimes Investigation Unit detained the women in Strand on Friday, November 22, 2024, in connection with a scam involving a promised trip to Thailand for around R1.9 million.
South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie said an investigation revealed that between June 1, 2022 and July 30, 2024, 80 victims viewed an advertisement for a trip to Thailand on social media sites.
“On the advertisement, it was stated that each person should pay an amount of R26,000, which will include travelling as well as the accommodation costs.
“It is believed that almost all the victims paid the required amount as per agreement into the bank accounts of the two suspects,” Pojie said.
He went on to say that when the victims learnt the trip was not going to happen, they reported it to several police stations around the nation, including Gauteng, the Northern Cape, the Eastern Cape, and the Western Cape.
“The cases were centralised in the Western Cape and upon completion the suspects were interviewed and were unable to provide a satisfactory explanation of what happened to the money.”
The pair were detained and appeared before the Strand Magistrates’ Court on Monday, on allegations of fraud, theft, and money laundering under sections 4 and 5 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004.
IOL