Fraud reports triple in Eswatini
By Delisa Magagula
Fraud cases reported to the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) have risen sharply this year.
According to the Director of the Fraud and Commercial Crimes Unit, Nicholas Jele there is a growing risk to stokvels, unsuspecting investors, and mobile money users.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Finance, Neal?Rijkenberg, has officially launched Fraud Awareness Month to encourage public vigilance.
The Assistant Commissioner Jele, who heads the Fraud and Commercial Crimes Unit, speaking during an interview, said REPS has received 1,832 fraud case reports so far in 2025, compared to 576 in 2024.
He explained that the increase is two?sided, as it shows more people know how to report, but it also means more are being scammed.
Jele said many of the new reports are internet-based fraud, including phishing, spoofed messages and fraudulent money?transfer requests.
He cautioned the public about sharing sensitive banking information, especially PINs, and emphasised verification when receiving unexpected instructions.
“REPS has also established a specialised Digital Forensic Unit to improve investigations into cyber and commercial crime, enabling the collection and preservation of digital evidence,” he said.
Jele said another growing concern is the FACATA scam, which involves fraudsters manipulating victims into approving mobile-money transfers.
He warned that the scammers often impersonate banks, mobile providers, or even police, contacting victims via SMS or calls to persuade them to approve transactions.
“In one scandal, REPS identified that two major unregistered stokvels were targeted through FACATA-style schemes. These stokvels operated without formal bank accounts; they reportedly carried large amounts of cash, making them more vulnerable to fraud,” he said.
Jele recommended that savings groups (stokvels) should register formally, open bank accounts, and avoid holding large sums of cash physically.
“When money is in a formal account, it’s safer and traceable as there is paperwork and a trail; we follow that trail, it is easier to follow it,” he said.
Investigations into FACATA have already resulted in arrests. In one case, six suspects, including a traditional healer (inyanga), were arrested after being linked to a scam involving over E955,691, according to court papers.
