The Hawks have arrested more than 10 people for defrauding banks with fake matric certificates, fraudulent cheques and IDs.
Most of the arrests were carried out in East London, Port Elizabeth and Mthatha during the past few weeks.
Police believe the arrested suspects could work for a syndicate involved in the theft of millions of rands.
Eastern Cape Hawks head Major General Nyameko Nogwanya warned people to be careful, saying the situation was “getting out of hand. People must always be alert. As for the criminals –we will catch you,” he said.
Eastern Cape Hawks spokeswoman Lieutenant Anelisa Feni said the fraud amounted to millions of rands. In one case five vehicles were successfully financed by two banks while the suspects used fake documents.
“These five vehicles together are worth over a R1-million,” said Feni.
Last Friday a 28-year-old East London man, who cannot be named as he is yet to appear in court, was arrested.
He is believed to be part of a syndicate of fraudsters operating in different towns across the province.
When arrested he was found with an undisclosed number of identity documents and blank payslips on him.
“One ID had his photograph the details were not his,” said Feni.
Feni said the suspect was thought to be an accomplice of Asanda Nqandela, 38, who was arrested by the Hawks last month on charges of fraud.
He has been accused of using fake documents to secure vehicle financing for taxi operators worth millions of rands. At the time of his arrest Nqandela had been out on bail for four similar cases of fraud.
It is alleged that he would apply for vehicle finance from a bank, using fraudulent documents. The banks would then finance the vehicles.
Many of Nqandela’s clients were Eastern Cape taxi operators.
A number of financial institutions were defrauded and in one case 50 vehicle applications for finance were made at just one bank. Of these applications, four were approved and 46 were detected and declined.
Two men who were allegedly financed through the Nqandela connection have already been arrested but police are yet to release their names.
Meanwhile, the Hawks serious commercial crimes unit last week arrested four suspects in Mthatha for fraud.
The suspects, between the ages of 39 and 48-years-old, were arrested for producing fabricated matric certificates, bank statements, IDs and salary advice slips,” said Feni.
The arrests came a few days after the Hawks arrested three people in Port Elizabeth who presented cloned cheques amounting to R99 8000 at a bank. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Hawks arrest suspects in massive bank fraud scam
Most of the arrests were carried out in East London, Port Elizabeth and Mthatha during the past few weeks.
Police believe the arrested suspects could work for a syndicate involved in the theft of millions of rands.
Eastern Cape Hawks head Major General Nyameko Nogwanya warned people to be careful, saying the situation was “getting out of hand. People must always be alert. As for the criminals –we will catch you,” he said.
Eastern Cape Hawks spokeswoman Lieutenant Anelisa Feni said the fraud amounted to millions of rands. In one case five vehicles were successfully financed by two banks while the suspects used fake documents.
“These five vehicles together are worth over a R1-million,” said Feni.
Last Friday a 28-year-old East London man, who cannot be named as he is yet to appear in court, was arrested.
He is believed to be part of a syndicate of fraudsters operating in different towns across the province.
When arrested he was found with an undisclosed number of identity documents and blank payslips on him.
“One ID had his photograph the details were not his,” said Feni.
Feni said the suspect was thought to be an accomplice of Asanda Nqandela, 38, who was arrested by the Hawks last month on charges of fraud.
He has been accused of using fake documents to secure vehicle financing for taxi operators worth millions of rands. At the time of his arrest Nqandela had been out on bail for four similar cases of fraud.
It is alleged that he would apply for vehicle finance from a bank, using fraudulent documents. The banks would then finance the vehicles.
Many of Nqandela’s clients were Eastern Cape taxi operators.
A number of financial institutions were defrauded and in one case 50 vehicle applications for finance were made at just one bank. Of these applications, four were approved and 46 were detected and declined.
Two men who were allegedly financed through the Nqandela connection have already been arrested but police are yet to release their names.
Meanwhile, the Hawks serious commercial crimes unit last week arrested four suspects in Mthatha for fraud.
The suspects, between the ages of 39 and 48-years-old, were arrested for producing fabricated matric certificates, bank statements, IDs and salary advice slips,” said Feni.
The arrests came a few days after the Hawks arrested three people in Port Elizabeth who presented cloned cheques amounting to R99 8000 at a bank. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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