Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe, Zimpapers Writer
A SYNDICATE of scammers has emerged using the identity of Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Richard Moyo, to fleece unsuspecting members of the public through fraudulent WhatsApp messages offering non-existent housing stands.
The scammers, who are operating using a South African-registered line are allegedly luring victims with false claims of allocating residential housing stands in exchange for payment.
In an interview, Minister Moyo distanced himself from the fraudulent scheme and urged the public to ignore the scammers.
“There are individuals who are using my identity in an attempt to swindle unsuspecting members of the public of their hard-earned money,” he said.
“These scammers are using my picture as a WhatsApp profile photo on a South African network line and falsely claiming that I am rolling out residential stands in exchange for payment.
“One would-be victim contacted me on my real number and I told him to ignore who is contacting him using a South African number.
“For the record, this is completely false. This is the work of criminals and members of the public should ignore and report any such advances immediately.”
The warning follows an alert by the Zanu-PF Matabeleland North Provincial News Platform, which raised concern over what it described as a growing trend of identity theft targeting senior Government officials.
“The office of the Mat North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Richard Moyo, has been alerted to a disturbing trend of identity theft and scams. It has come to our attention that some individuals have stolen the minister’s identity, using his picture and profile to deceive unsuspecting people out of their hard-earned money,” read the message.
The platform stressed that Minister Moyo does not use any foreign-registered mobile lines and warned that any communication claiming to be from him using such numbers should be treated as fraudulent.
“The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Richard Moyo, has never owned a foreign registered line and any communication or transaction purporting to be from him using such a line is a clear scam,” read the message.
“We urge anyone who has been approached or fallen victim to these scammers to report to the authorities immediately. We will not tolerate any form of identity theft or scams and we are working closely with law enforcement agencies to track down those responsible”
The statement further appealed to members of the public to exercise caution and verify information before engaging in any transactions.
“If you have any doubts or concerns, please do not hesitate to seek second opinion. We encourage all victims of these scams to report to the authorities without fail, so that we can bring the perpetrators to justice. Your vigilance and co-operation are crucial in preventing further scams and protecting the public.”
