IN CONVERSATION WITH Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk
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The South African Police Service (SAPS) has issued a warning to the public about a new scam making the rounds, particularly on WhatsApp, where fraudsters are using fake SAPS letters to con people into giving up personal information.
These fraudulent letters are designed to look official — complete with the SAPS logo, names and contact details of real police officers, and even addresses of actual police stations.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk, spokesperson for the provincial police, the scammers use this information to trick unsuspecting victims into revealing sensitive details like ID numbers, home addresses, and banking information.
Lieutenant Colonel Van Wyk stressed: “The SAPS does not communicate with the public via WhatsApp or video calls.”
The public is strongly urged not to respond to these messages or share any personal data. If you’ve received or interacted with such messages, report it immediately and open a case at your nearest police station.
Stay alert — and help spread the word to protect others from falling victim to this scam.
These fraudulent letters are designed to look official — complete with the SAPS logo, names and contact details of real police officers, and even addresses of actual police stations.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk, spokesperson for the provincial police, the scammers use this information to trick unsuspecting victims into revealing sensitive details like ID numbers, home addresses, and banking information.
Lieutenant Colonel Van Wyk stressed: “The SAPS does not communicate with the public via WhatsApp or video calls.”
The public is strongly urged not to respond to these messages or share any personal data. If you’ve received or interacted with such messages, report it immediately and open a case at your nearest police station.
Stay alert — and help spread the word to protect others from falling victim to this scam.
