A Nigerian man is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court, on charges of fraud after he conned a woman out of 24 million rand.
This follows his arrest on Tuesday 5 March 2024.
Police spokesperson warrant officer Joseph Swartbooi explains that a Canadian citizen reported a romance scam back in 2022. The suspect — using the alias Raymond Butler — befriended her and they became romantically linked, while chatting via a popular dating website and then privately.
“The digital relationship expanded to the extent that the suspect convinced the complainant to invest R24 million in a project abroad,” said Swartbooi.
The lead investigator eventually made a breakthrough when authorities located the suspect at a premises in Charing Crescent, in Parklands.
Swartbooi adds women in particular are advised to remain vigilant not to fall prey to scammers who want to enter their lives with the promise of love, to defraud them out of their money.
THE FOLLOWING TIPS FROM SAPS COULD HELP WOMEN IDENTIFY POSSIBLE DATING SCAMMERS:
- They look and sound very caring and responsible
- They always come up with a business proposals
- They do not want their pictures to be taken
- They do not want to meet with you in a public place
- They always hide their identification documents
- They do not introduce you to their families
- They want to own everything in a relationship
- They do not take you to their real house
- They always come up with contradictory stories
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