The South African Police Service (SAPS) has issued a stern warning to community members about a vishing scam in which fraudsters misuse the SAPS name, logo, and even the names of real senior officers to trick victims, into paying money or revealing personal information.
According to SAPS, fake letters, often circulated on WhatsApp, carry the official SAPS insignia and are designed to look legitimate. In some cases, criminals even go so far as to create non-existent police stations in their fraudulent correspondence. The public is reminded that no police station exists in Green Point, Cape Town, despite claims made in these letters.
The scam doesn’t stop there. Victims have reported receiving intimidating phone calls from individuals pretending to be police officers. The fraudsters falsely claim that a criminal case has been opened against the victim, then demand a “fee” to make the case disappear.
SAPS stresses that it will never:
✅ Ask formoney to cancel or withdraw a case
✅ Contact the public via WhatsApp or video calls
Safety tips for the public:
❌ Do not respond to suspicious letters, calls, or WhatsApp messages
❌ Never share personal details such as ID numbers, addresses, or banking details
❌ Do not pay anyone posing as a police officer.
Members of the public are urged to remain vigilant and immediately report any such attempts.
Anyone with information that could assist in tracking down these fraudsters is encouraged to contact their nearest police station, call Crime Stop on 08600 10111, or submit an anonymous tip via the MySAPSApp.
– CCN Online News Desk
