The charges against Lynn Blows were unconditionally withdrawn after the presiding public prosecutor in the Cape Town court found that there was no prima facie evidence against the accused. - IOL News Editor (03/2009)
In what is believed to be the first cyberspace fraud case of its kind in South Africa, a businessman had R2-million siphoned from his account by an Internet hacker.
Denver Geyer of Mitchell's Plain, near Cape Town, allegedly persuaded a bank clerk, Lynn Blows, whom he had met at church, to link the accounts of two Gauteng clients of the bank where she worked.
Geyer and Blows have since been arrested and released on bail of R5 000 each.
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Bank staff became suspicious and froze the accounts Apparently, the businessman did not have access to his account on the Internet. However, another bank client did have Internet access to her account.
Police believe Geyer gave Blows details of the two account holders. Blows allegedly arranged to give the one, a media worker, power of attorney to operate the millionaire's account.
A syndicate fraud unit spokesperson said R2-million was transferred from the unsuspecting businessman's account on February 16 into five separate accounts in Cape Town.
Police said R300 000 was withdrawn from two of the accounts, but bank staff became suspicious, froze the accounts and alerted police.
Fraud unit members believe a syndicate, which based the scam on bank clients' information, including Internet pass words and bank balances, was involved.
Police said more arrests were imminent.
The charges against Lynn Blows were unconditionally withdrawn after the presiding public prosecutor in the Cape Town court found that there was no prima facie evidence against the accused. - IOL News Editor
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