Inmates charged with scamming users of online prostitution service

[schumi]

Four convicted inmates aged between 26 and 32 have been charged with running an extortion scam from prison.

According to Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Philani Nkwalase, the four have been behind a scam that targeted men who used a secret online prostitution service. The inmates would pose as police officers.

“The victims would later be informed by someone purporting to be a police officer that a case of rape and fraud was open against them as they used fake money to pay the sex workers. They would also present a fake warrant of arrest through WhatsApp and demand payment to ensure that the police, along with the prosecutor, make the cases disappear,” Nkwalase said.

According to Nkwalase, their investigation revealed that a syndicate of inmates with cellphones allegedly created profiles of police officers using the combination of their names and photos taken from social media profiles of unsuspecting cops.

“They further sourced a call log from an online-based escort agency continuously to contact the victims, who paid them in fear of prosecution.

“Between May and August 2022, the amounts of R760,000 and R560,000 had been paid into two accounts provided to the victims to deposit the money,” he said.

More at: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/so...camming-users-of-online-prostitution-service/

 

[zophas]

Guess it's true. There is a sucker born every minute. Brilliant! To run this scam from prison.

 

[Acid0]

I dont see the issue here?
The victims got screwed, was that not what they paid for....

 

[Convict]

This is a common thing that is occurring in prison. You find this amongst a lot of guys that came into prison for fraud, they just continue while they are inside. Access to phones are just too easy, so they just keep on continuing to scam people. Selling non existent things on Facebook marketplace, Gumtree etc. Then obviously the more blackmail type stuff as well.

The DCS members are at war with each other, you have a subset that wants to enforce the rules, but there is also a big part of the members that see a phone as just another way of making money. If you consider that it costs (R400 in 2020) to just bring in a phone for an inmate, there are a lot of potential for making money.

 

[schumi]

Inmate implicated in online escort scam slapped with additional charges for intimidating state witness

Cape Town – An inmate from the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre already facing charges of extortion, forgery, money laundering and uttering has now been additionally charged for contempt of court.

Lenn Roy Jovner, 26, appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on August 15 on the above-mentioned charges.

During his appearance, the court ordered Jovner not to make any direct or indirect contact with state witnesses.

According to the spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant-Colonel Philani Nkwalase a state witness reported, with evidence that Jovner made contact with him and made intimidating remarks.

This happened after his court appearance.

More at: https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-af...-witness-832272e7-2fd9-46c8-90b8-aefca3abf654

 

[Bill Clitnon]

If you are this dumb then you absolutely deserve to get scammed.

 

[Goosfrabba]

Because WhatsApp'd arrest warrant is totally legit

 

[rietrot]

Lol you would think that an online escort agency would discreet and not sell your details to criminals in prison.

I assume more well-off people get their prostitutes online and not just on the street corners.

There's a serious lack of financial education, and common sense even amongst the middle class.

 

[U-neek]

So many DCS officers in inland provinces are big 5 members. So this is not at all surprising. They are definitely sharing in the cut.