By Delisa Thwala
The Nation is on high alert as house scammers have been preying on unsuspecting victims in the towns of Ezulwini and Mbabane.
The scammers lure potential tenants with attractive offers, encouraging them to deposit money for a viewing appointment without ever seeing the property.
Worth mentioning is that the Royal Eswatini Police are cracking down on mushrooming scams, the recent one being ‘Facata.’ The scam, popularly known as ‘Facata, ‘ has seen members of the public lose their money to criminals who call and tell Mobile Money users or bank account holders to approve transactions unknowingly.
In their illegal activity, the scammers call the unsuspecting person under the pretence that they are either MTN or bank employees or police officers under the cybercrime unit who will assist them as victims as their cell phone had been hacked and attacked with a virus.
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The would-be victim is then requested to transfer any monies in their accounts through their banking app or MoMo into a purported suspense account, which is a string of numbers that are, in fact, disguised cell phone numbers. Now enter the house scams, taking place largely on Facebook and Instagram.
The scammers, some of which have been arrested by police are often well-organized and convincing, with detailed descriptions of the property and convincing stories to back up their claims. They provide fake documents and pictures to support their story.
The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) has urged all potential renters to take extra precautions when searching for a place to live, especially now as the festive season is fast approaching. They recommend visiting the property in person, thoroughly checking out the landlord’s credentials, and avoiding making any payments until all the necessary checks have been completed.
“Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Stay safe and avoid becoming a victim of these scammers,’’ said the National Commissioner of Police Manoma Vusi Masango. He further warned that the scammer, posing as a property owner, posts an advertisement for a property that is too good to be true in terms of price and location.
When potential tenants express interest, the scammer will ask them to transfer a deposit to secure a viewing appointment. However, the appointment never materializes, and the scammer disappears with the money. In another scenario, the scammer might rent out a property they do not own by breaking into an empty property or duplicating the keys of a property that is legitimately for rent.
“Yes, social media has become a prime hunting ground for these scammers, with Facebook being a popular choice due to its reach and ease of use,’’ said Masango. He further said, it was difficult to estimate the exact amount of money these scammers have made, but it is safe to say that the total sum runs into over E100 000.
The Commissioner said the allure of quick and easy money is strong, and as long as there are people willing to fall for these scams, the scammers will continue to operate.
“It is crucial for residents of Eswatini to be vigilant and aware of these types of scams,’’ said the Police Commissioner. Sizakele, a young professional in Mbabane was eager to find a new place to rent. She stumbled upon a listing on Facebook for a two-bedroom apartment in Ezulwini, and the price seemed too good to be true.
When she reached out to the ‘landlord’ he told her that he was out of town but would be happy to rent her the place if she transferred a deposit to secure the property. She did, but the appointment never happened.
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This was also a similar case with Lihle, a student in Manzini, who was looking for a shared house near her university. She found a posting on Facebook from a woman claiming to have a room in a house around and close to the school, which was available to rent immediately.
The woman asked Lihle to transfer a deposit to hold the room. Lihle transferred the money, but when she arrived at the house for her viewing, the tenants told her that they had never heard of the woman and that the room was not for rent. Bhekani, a middle-aged man in Mbabane, was desperate to find a new place to live after his landlord unexpectedly raised his rent. He found an advertisement for a house that seemed perfect for him on Facebook.
The ‘landlord’ asked Bhekani to transfer a deposit to secure the property and then invited him for a viewing. When Bhekani arrived at the house, he found the locks had been changed, and no one was home. He soon realized that he had been scammed. In response to these scams, the Commissioner of Police has warned residents to be vigilant and to exercise caution when looking for places to rent.
“We want to caution people against these types of scams. These scammers are becoming more sophisticated in their methods, and they are targeting vulnerable people who are desperate for housing. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Please be careful,” he cautioned.
The commissioner added that the police were doing everything in their power to catch the scammers and bring them to justice. Meanwhile, online fraud is a growing problem in Eswatini, and these scams fall under the category of cybercrime. According to the latest data available from the Eswatini Bankers Association (EBA) in the case of online fraud where the card is not present, they have recorded an amount of E1 897 251,98 lost.
This is 25% of the total reported cases. This occurs with unauthorised transactions that are conducted online by fraudsters, where customers unknowingly expose their card details on spoofed websites when trying to buy or trade online.
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The majority of these cases involved online fraud, with phishing, identity theft, and online scams being the most common types of fraud.
The Eswatini police force has urged citizens to report any suspicious activity and to be vigilant when sharing personal information online.
EBA Chairperson Mvuselelo Fakudze said the increase in cybercrime and online fraud in Eswatini serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and awareness when using the internet. He said while Eswatini may be a small country, it is not immune to the growing threat of online scams and fraud, and citizens must take steps to protect themselves from falling victim to these crimes.
“It is crucial for everyone in Eswatini to be aware of the dangers of cybercrime and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities. With increased awareness and cooperation, we can make the internet a safer place for all,” said Fakudze.
