In a distressing series of events, four women hailing from various towns in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, have recently reported being scammed out of substantial amounts of money by an individual posing as a pilot. The victims reached out to Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) to share their harrowing experiences.
According to the victims, the scammer, who identified himself as Ravi Kumar, claimed to be a single airline pilot residing in Los Angeles, California, USA. His modus operandi involved sending friend requests to women on Facebook. Subsequently, he engaged them in conversations through Facebook Messenger and eventually requested their contact numbers.
Once the conversations transitioned to WhatsApp, the imposter began cultivating a rapport with the victims over several weeks. Eventually, he would request their home addresses, citing the intention to send them gifts. The victims were then presented with images of a box purportedly containing $15,000 (equivalent to approximately R300,000).
Fake Pilot Scams Women: Kwazulu Natal - South Africa
— Vehicle Trackers (@VehicleTrackerz) June 6, 2023
Four (4) women from different towns in Kwazulu Natal have contacted Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) over the past week reporting a man identifying himself as a Pilot that had scammed them of thousands of Rands.
The man… pic.twitter.com/BI5utTKQmD
Exploiting their growing emotional attachment, the scammer professed his love for the victims and promised to visit South Africa to marry them. However, he would subsequently fabricate various predicaments, such as the box being detained at Customs, being stranded at the airport, or losing his bank cards. In each instance, he would request a daily payment of R5000 from each victim.
Tragically, the four women collectively fell victim to the scammer's deceitful tactics, losing a total of R97,000.
Law enforcement agencies have been alerted to this fraudulent scheme, and efforts are underway to apprehend the perpetrator. Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) advises individuals to exercise caution when engaging with unfamiliar individuals online, particularly if they request personal information or financial assistance.
It is crucial for community members to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities. By raising awareness about these scams, we can work together to prevent further innocent individuals from falling prey to such deceptive schemes.
Source: Vehicle Trackers
