Please Make Your Parents Aware of These Scams: Pensioner Defrauded of Over R960K

Legal practitioner @Tina_Hokwana took to X (formerly Twitter) to shed light on a harrowing scam that victimized a 67-year-old pensioner.

The victim sought legal assistance after being defrauded of over R960K. However, despite efforts, her application was dismissed due to a lack of evidence against Rowen.

Pensioner Scammed of Nearly a Million Rand

A 67-year-old pensioner recently became the victim of a sophisticated scam, losing nearly a million rand in the process. The fraudsters gained control of her bank account, orchestrating 23 transactions totaling R960,960.19 in just one day.

Shockingly, the funds were swiftly transferred to various accounts, including those belonging to a certain Rowen Petrus.

The telephone conversation lasted a few hours, and once she hung up, a notification came up on her phone which showed that she only had R35.00 left in her account. It was at that stage that she realised that she had been scammed.

23 transfers that went to Rowen’s account: pic.twitter.com/xsxBM5EfEm

— Tina (@Tina_Hokwana) May 9, 2024

Following the discovery of the scam, both Capitec and Absa froze Rowen’s accounts as a precautionary measure. However, without a court order extending the freeze, the hold on the accounts could be released, allowing Rowen access to the funds.

In an attempt to recover her losses, the pensioner filed a legal application seeking urgent relief. She aimed to prevent the banks from releasing the hold on Rowen’s accounts and also sought the repayment of the stolen funds.

Rowen, who identified himself as a part-time cryptocurrency trader, opposed the application. He claimed to be an innocent third party, unaware of the scam orchestrated by the fraudsters.

Despite her efforts, the pensioner faced numerous obstacles in court. Her application was dismissed due to a lack of evidence establishing Rowen’s intent to dissipate the funds or engage in fraudulent activity.

Full Story

Please make your parents aware of these scams.

A 67 year old pensioner was scammed by fraudsters who got control over her bank account and paid R960 960.19 in 23 different transactions on the same day into bank accounts of the third respondent (Rowen Petrus) at Capitec Bank and…

— Tina (@Tina_Hokwana) May 9, 2024