Durban - Two Durban families were left in shock after they were unknowingly duped by a suspected fake estate agent who advertised a house for rent in Avoca.
The house in question belongs to the Vadivelu family from the Effingham area in Durban North.
Speaking to IOL about the incident which took place on Saturday, 67 year-old Rae Vadivelu said she put up the house for sale around three months ago.
On Saturday, Vadivelu and her husband went to the home to check up on a few things when they noticed another family approaching their yard.
The two parents and their four children were there to view the property, which they intended to rent, she said.
The house which Vadivelu listed for sale was used by the unreachable suspect as a rental property on the market.
According to Vadivelu, the bogus agent told the family the house was available for R3 000 per month.
The new family told Vadivelu on Saturday that they had paid a deposit to secure the house as they were looking for a new place to live.
After catching wind of the apparent scam, Rae’s daughter, Racine, contacted the scammer to fish her out.
She engaged with her via WhatsApp from a number the Vadivelus got from the family of six that visited the house on Saturday.
The woman told Racine Vadivelu that the house was still available to rent at R5 500 per month but was unaware that she was speaking to the owner’s daughter.
The woman then sent a lease agreement for Racine to sign.
She also sent a copy of a person’s South African identity document to act as an authoritative source.
Whether or not the woman trying to scam the families out of their money had sent her true identity has not been established.
Rae Vadivelu then went to the Greenwood Park police station, not too far from their Avoca home, to lay a complaint against the fraudster.
She said Greenwood Park police were unable to open up a charge.
“They couldn't give me a case number because no physical incident happened, but they gave me an OB number for now,” Rae Vadivelu said.
Rae’s other daughter, Ricolene Osner, told IOL that they are fearful for their elderly parents because someone may pay a deposit and try to move into their parents’ house.
“My parents are elderly, and I do not want a situation where somebody pays a deposit and then tells them they want to move into the house. Because we do not know who paid this lady,” Osner said.
IOL contacted the police in KwaZulu-Natal to find out what proper channels police can take when it comes to fraud of such a nature.
We asked: Is that the only route that the police can take given the fact that two families were duped for money and their home?
Also: What other avenues of justice can people follow if they are victims to such crimes?
What can the police do in these types of instances of fraud?
KZN police spokespersonThenjiswa Ngcobo said: “A case of fraud should have been opened, the complainant will be contacted by the Greenwood Park SAPS to open a case of fraud.”
IOL