Bank fraudsters nabbed in Jhb

2010-08-05 11:42

Johannesburg - Soweto police have arrested two men for attempting to defraud a bank in a deposit scam, said Warrant Officer Kay Makhubela, a spokesperson for Jabulani police, on Thursday.

Makhubela explained that the two are part of a growing number of people trying out the trick.

They allegedly opened two separate bank accounts at a branch of Standard Bank in the area then, on the same day went to a different branch claiming to have lost their cards but asking if they could withdraw R5 000 that had been deposited into their accounts electronically.

However, the deposit appeared to be dubious and from a foreign source, and police were alerted.

Investigations revealed that they were attempting to commit fraud.

Makhubela said that this was part of a scheme being tried out by some people at the Jabulani mall.

A variation involved peopled making fake deposits at bank ATMs outside shopping malls, then going inside to the branch almost immediately afterwards to try to draw "real" money based on the record of that transaction.

The two, aged 26 and 25, would appear in the Protea Magistrate's Courts soon.
 

- SAPA