SAPS Warns Western Cape Businesses Over Police Donation Scam

Mossel Bay - South African authorities issued a public warning on Monday, February 9 regarding a sophisticated fraudulent scheme targeting businesses in the Western Cape Province through fake solicitations for police donations.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape confirmed that a criminal syndicate has been approaching business owners in the coastal town of Mossel Bay, using forged documents to request financial contributions.

"The police wishes to alert the public that the letters as well as the correspondence are fake and have no association with the SAPS," the police service said in an official statement.

Preliminary investigations reveal that the scammers are utilizing WhatsApp to distribute the fraudulent requests.

To increase the perceived legitimacy of the scam, the letters feature the official SAPS logo and include the name of a specific officer.

Authorities however clarified that the details provided by the scammers are entirely fabricated.

"The individual mentioned, cell number used and account have no association with the South African Police Service," the statement read.

The SAPS has since launched a formal investigation to track the digital footprint of the messages and the financial accounts linked to the operation.

"A docket was opened to establish the origin of the fake messages as well as accounts," authorities confirmed.

While SAPS does have legitimate community policing forums and outreach programs, the service emphasized that it does not solicit direct donations from businesses via WhatsApp or unofficial bank accounts.

Police have urged members of the public to exercise extreme caution and to verify any correspondence purportedly coming from law enforcement, through official channels.

"Members of the public are urged not to engage these individuals and report such activities to the nearest police station," the SAPS said.