Cape Town - A 51-year-old Nigerian national man and a 28-year-old woman who are suspected to be involved in a romance scheme are expected to appear in the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court soon for fraud, theft, and contravention of the prevention of organised crime.
SAPS spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said members of the Provincial Commercial Crimes Cyber Investigation unit conducted a tracing operation in the early hours of Friday in Khayelitsha and Parklands, with the intention to arrest suspects in a romance scam amounting to R930 000.
“The investigation led to the arrest of a 51-year-old Nigerian foreign national male and a 28-year-old female who we believe are directly involved in a romance scheme, receiving money from their victims, on charges of fraud, theft, and contravention of the prevention of organised crime. Electronic devices that were found on the premises were seized.
“Once charged, the suspects are expected to make their court appearance in the Atlantis Magistrate court on the mentioned charges,” Swartbooi said.
The arrests come shortly after an alleged romance scammer who pretended to be an Italian man on social media and allegedly swindled a woman of R1.2 million was nabbed in early July.
SAPS said its Commercial Crime Investigations Unit had arrested a 57-year-old foreign national in Maitland who was allegedly involved in the romance scam wherein he pretended to be an Italian national seeking a partner in South Africa.
Over a few months he allegedly secured R1.2 million from the victim whom he chatted to on social media.
Cape Times