The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape is warning the public of a growing telephone scam in which criminals are cloning the official office number of the Provincial Commissioner to extort money from unsuspecting victims. 

SAPS said fraudsters are using the number 021 417 7148, which belongs to the Western Cape Provincial Commissioner’s office, to lend credibility to their calls. 

According to Provincial SAPS spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut, the scam relies on intimidation and deception. 

 “In this scam, the caller ID appears to reflect the SAPS provincial office number, creating the false impression that the call originates from SAPS,” said Traut.  

Victims are then contacted by individuals impersonating police officers, sometimes through video calls, with the suspects dressed in a police uniform to appear legitimate. 

Traut said victims are falsely accused of being linked to a parcel allegedly intercepted at an airport and said to contain contraband.  

“Through intimidation and threats of arrest or prosecution, victims are coerced into paying large sums of money to ‘resolve’ the matter,” read the SAPS statement. 

Authorities noted that the scammers deliberately create panic to pressure victims into acting quickly without verifying the information. 

SAPS stressed that this is not an isolated incident.  

“This scam is not limited to the Western Cape and similar cases have been reported across the country,” police said, warning that members of the public nationwide should be alert to similar tactics. 

Traut reiterated that legitimate officers will never solicit money from the public.

SAPS emphasised that “SAPS officials will never demand money to prevent arrest or prosecution” and that “SAPS will not request payments via telephone or video calls”.  

The public has also been urged to “always verify the identity and credentials of anyone claiming to be a police official”. 

He further confirmed that the matter is under investigation. 

“The compromise and misuse of the above-mentioned telephone number are currently under investigation, along with the reported cases linked to this scam,” Traut said. 

SAPS has cautioned residents to be aware that the number 021 417 7148 is currently being fraudulently used and urged anyone targeted by suspected scammers to report the incident immediately to their nearest police station or to Crime Stop on 08600 10111. 

“SAPS remains committed to investigating these incidents and protecting communities from criminal exploitation,” said Traut.