KEY POINTS
- A second suspect has been arrested in connection with a R3 million romance scam, where a woman was deceived by a fake online persona named “Mark Hermanus.”
- The case highlights the growing prevalence of online romance scams in South Africa, with victims losing millions to fraudulent schemes.
- The Hawks are intensifying efforts to combat these crimes, urging the public to exercise caution and report suspicious behavior to authorities.
In a significant breakthrough, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) has arrested a second suspect in connection with a sophisticated romance scam that defrauded a South African woman of R3 million.
The victim of the romance scam, whose identity is protected, believed she was in a relationship with a white man named “Mark Hermanus” on Facebook, only to discover she had been swindled by an elaborate online fraud network.
IOL reports that the latest arrest follows the apprehension of Nigerian national Gabriel Okori, who was released on R5,000 bail in November 2024.
The romance scam began when the victim met “Mark Hermanus” on Facebook, and the two began communicating on WhatsApp. “While the pair were getting to know each other, ‘Mark Hermanus’ informed the complainant that his son was sick and asked the complainant to lend him money for his son’s medical bills, which escalated to over R3 million,” said Gauteng Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela.
The suspect promised to repay the money but disappeared after the funds were transferred. Investigations revealed that one of the bank accounts used in the romance scam belonged to the second suspect, who was arrested in Orange Farm, Johannesburg.
Romance scam: A growing epidemic of in South Africa
This case is part of a disturbing trend of reports associated with romance scam, targeting vulnerable individuals in South Africa. Over the past year, IOL has reported on numerous cases where victims lost their life savings, pensions, and even took out loans to support fake online relationships.
In February, another victim, Keneilwe, alleged that R2 million was transferred from her FNB account without her knowledge or consent. “She insisted that she was not present when her hard-earned money was transferred, and said she never gave anyone her banking app passwords,” the report stated.
The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit has been working tirelessly to dismantle these fraud networks. The first suspect, Okori, was traced to Cape Town and arrested in October 2024.
The second suspect is expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday. Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious online activities.
