Bloemfontein — A 29-year-old man who posed as a U.S. government official on Facebook has been arrested by the Hawks for allegedly defrauding a woman of R85,800 in a sophisticated Covid-19 relief scam.
The suspect was nabbed by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit in Strand, Western Cape, on 21 May, following a months-long investigation that began after the incident was reported in December 2022.
According to authorities, the fraudster contacted the victim through Facebook, promising her a lucrative Covid-19 relief grant supposedly backed by the U.S. government. The only catch? She needed to make an upfront payment to “activate” the grant.
To make the scam more convincing, the suspect sent her a list of alleged grant beneficiaries. The victim recognized a friend’s name and reached out for confirmation. Her “friend” responded and claimed to have received the money—unaware her Facebook account had been hacked and was under the control of the same scammer.
The elaborate deception left the victim out of pocket and prompted a formal complaint to the Hawks in Bloemfontein. Investigators followed a digital paper trail that eventually led to the suspect’s arrest.
Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti, spokesperson for the Free State Hawks, confirmed that the suspect will face charges of fraud and money laundering. He is due to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court today, 26 May.
This case highlights the growing sophistication of online scams and serves as a stark reminder to verify all financial offers—even those that seem to come from trusted friends or official sources.
