Tuesday, 6 October 2026 ⚠️ Real Incident

Two Convicted in Fake Facebook Vehicle Scam

Two men were convicted of theft after using fake Facebook vehicle adverts to lure buyers into a trap. Victims were confronted by fake police officers who forced them to surrender money.

What happened

Cleopas Msipa and Tshepiso De Beer were convicted of theft in the Stilfontein Regional Court after pleading guilty. They belonged to a group that lured buyers using fake vehicle listings on Facebook. Once victims arrived at the location, accomplices falsely identified themselves as police officers and threatened them with arrest until they handed over money or transferred funds.

How it worked

Scammers post fake advertisements for vehicles on social media to attract interested buyers. Once a buyer meets at an agreed location, fraudsters pretend to be police officers and claim gold or diamonds were found. They then intimidate the victim with threats of arrest to coerce them into transferring money or handing over bank cards.

How to protect yourself

• Verify the legitimacy of sellers and vehicle offers before making any payments or sharing personal details.
• Never transfer money or hand over bank cards to anyone demanding payment at an informal meeting location.
• Report suspicious online listings or fake police demands immediately to the police on 10111 or 112.

Source: The Citizen