Police would like to caution members of the public about fraudsters who target students that are eager to further their education at higher institutions.
The Academic Year has started and prospective students, together with parents are running around trying to secure admission as well as accommodation from various tertiary institutions.
Fraudsters often take advantage of this period and target the needy by promising them to make their dreams come true. Desperate students and parents would then be vulnerable and accept offers from these conniving fraudsters with both hands.
Some of the fraudsters will convince their victims that they are well connected to higher authorities in the learning institutions whilst others would impersonate employees of these tertiary institutions thereby making the story sounds more real.
After gaining trust from their targets, the fraudsters would then solicit bribes from these desperate individuals in exchange of fake admission and bogus accommodation
Parents are therefore warned not to bet on the losing horse by depositing their hard earned cash into personal accounts of these scammers or send money via money markets.
This has prompted the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela to caution the public about this trend. “Parents are urged to make background checks of tertiary learning institutions as some of them are non-existent. Before one make payments to any institution, the authentic admission letter must be verified. People should avoid taking short-cuts, unless we will be scammed,” warned the General.
