Several incidents were under investigation, mainly at the Bayswater police station. Police said one of the biggest challenges in combating cybercrime was the anonymity that came with communication through social media, emails and phone calls, making it easier for criminals to exploit unsuspecting victims.

Speaking to OFM News, Bayswater station commander Col. Kholisile Alfred Nqukuva said police had intensified awareness campaigns to educate communities about the dangers of cybercrime.

“Our Friday operations also include awareness. We go to malls and give people pamphlets. Fraud is a major problem at our station; it cuts across, it doesn’t matter the age.

“Some of them are unprevented because you just wake up, check your cellphone, and your money is gone. People like to entertain those who call and pose as if they are from banks.”

Scammers often provide victims with false residential addresses, particularly in online transactions involving houses, vehicles or other goods. Investigations frequently revealed that the addresses either do not exist or lead to vacant land.

Capt. Edith Botha explained that tracing suspects remained difficult, especially when perpetrators operated from outside the city. “(Often) we never get the suspect. There are times when a person is identified, especially when they are local, but most of those things (fraudsters) come from outside Bloemfontein.

“The new thing is vouchers, they call you saying you won a certain amount of money and victims end up paying more money for admin, and at the end of the day there is no voucher and it's difficult to trace that,” said Botha.

Apart from cybercrime, Nqukuva highlighted house break-ins as a major concern in the northern parts of the Free State capital. He said criminals had recently been gaining entry through rooftops before stealing valuables such as televisions and laptops.

Despite the challenges, Nqukuva commended the cooperation between police, other law enforcement agencies, and private security companies in tackling local criminal activity.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi sm

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