KEY POINTS
- Mpumalanga man out on bail after R1.5 million ($80,959) petrol fraud case.
- Authorities say cloned bank cards were used in the scheme.
- Hawks intensify efforts to combat financial crime in South Africa.
A 38-year-old man accused of defrauding a petrol station of R1.5 million ($80,959) using cloned bank cards has been released on R10,000 ($539) bail.
Bonginkosi Shongwe appeared before the Middelburg District Court on Tuesday after surrendering himself to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit.
The courts released his co-accused who had previously entered the proceedings by implementing the same conditions for bail.
The court scheduled the return of both suspects for Friday as investigators continued their work.
Meanwhile, Major General Nico Gerber, head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, stated that law enforcement will continue defending citizens against financial crimes and helping victims of fraud.
“We are working closely with financial institutions and businesses to identify and stop fraudulent activities, bringing perpetrators to justice,” he said.
Similar fraud cases linked to cloned bank cards
Just weeks before Shongwe’s case, authorities arrested a 34-year-old woman at OR Tambo International Airport. She was allegedly part of a bank card cloning syndicate.
The Western Cape Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) reports that they took the woman into custody after she arrived on a Qatar Airways flight.
She now faces charges under the Electronic Communications Act and the Cybercrimes Act.
Investigators report that she previously worked at a car rental service at Cape Town International Airport.
There, she allegedly compromised customers’ banking information and passed it to a criminal syndicate. They used this data to produce cloned cards.
Authorities estimate that victims suffered financial losses amounting to R400,000 ($21,586) as a result of her actions.
They transferred the suspect back to Cape Town, where she will face charges in a local court.
Hawks crack down on financial crimes
The Hawks have intensified their efforts to target financial fraud cases involving cloned bank cards.
Investigators say such crimes are on the rise in South Africa, with criminals using advanced technology to steal and misuse bank details.
According to IOL, authorities urge businesses and consumers to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.
“Financial fraud is a serious issue, and we are working hard to identify those responsible and bring them to justice,” said Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani.
While financial institutions are implementing stricter security measures, criminals continue to find ways to exploit loopholes.
The law enforcement agencies have informed businesses to strengthen their fraud detection operations to stop additional financial losses.
Authorities continue the legal proceedings against Shongwe and his co-accused. They hope this case will warn others involved in financial crimes.
