The Sunday Mail
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Serious Fraud Section is investigating over 40 cases of cyber fraud that have seen victims lose hundreds of thousands of dollars since the beginning of the year. Police chiefs said the growth in cyber crime was a result of syndicates comprising of locals and foreigners in neighbouring countries such as South Africa and Botswana.
In some instances, the locally based fraudsters are working in cahoots with other Zimbabwean nationals who have set up base in these countries.
Investigating officers at the Serious Fraud Section said other criminal groups comprise foreign nationals in countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.
Such groups target Zimbabweans mainly involved in buying and selling. Over 500 fraud cases have been on the Serious Fraud Section’s records since 2009.
Some of these fraudsters are on the run with most of them believed to be in neighbouring countries.
Others are said to be in the country but have since changed their identity particulars, making it difficult for the police to apprehend them.
Police have said on the list are politicians and prominent business people. They are, however, still reluctant to reveal their names.
Deputy Officer Commanding the Serious Fraud Section Chief Superintendent Peter Magwenzi said the police have since set up a special unit to handle cyber crime after noticing that there was a new crop of cyber fraudsters operating in various parts of the country.
“We have noticed that these cyber fraudsters are committing crimes at their various bases here in Zimbabwe, working with their partners in SA.
“After committing the crime, the cyber fraudsters retreat to South Africa, Mozambique or Botswana and when they have settled, they again pounce on victims back here in Zimbabwe.
“They use the internet to create fake company websites, e-mail addresses and open foreign bank accounts to dupe people. Locally, they are keeping several mobile phone sim cards and also tell their victims to register with money transfer facilities. After the transaction, they throw away the sim cards.”
Regarding foreign bank accounts, the cyber fraudsters can target a victim whom they know is interested in a certain deal and is capable of releasing huge sums of money.
Victims are usually told that they will make huge profits from the deals.
Chief Supt Magwenzi said: “Immediately, the cyber fraudsters after noticing that the victim has deposited the amount, they withdraw the amount and close the account and take down the email and the company’s website.
“We have our units on the ground constantly contacting their counterparts in neighbouring countries to deal with the fraudsters.”
