SA’s big 3 car tracking firms warn of car syndicate’s new tactic

File Picture: Dumisani Dube

File Picture: Dumisani Dube

Published Oct 28, 2020

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Durban - South Africa’s big three tracker firms have warned that a highly sophisticated vehicle theft syndicate is targeting customers by pretending that their tracking devices need to be repaired and then driving away with their vehicles.

Netstar’s operations executive, Charles Morgan, said the firm had noticed a “prevalent” trend regarding the new vehicle theft modus operandi in the past two weeks, after the first isolated incident was reported in September.

He said criminals had adopted the new approach in a bid to buy time and beat tracking technology, which was achieving a 90% stolen vehicle recovery rate.

He said a syndicate of criminals posing as employees of vehicle-tracking companies was targeting these companies’ customers in a car-theft scam.

“The criminals claim that customers’ tracking devices need repairing, then set up appointments where they attempt to steal vehicles. At this stage, high-value, exotic vehicles of varying makes have been targeted,” Morgan said.

Syndicate members were sophisticated and technically skilled in that they had been able in some instances to convince customers that they needed to test drive the vehicle, and they were skilled enough to neutralise the tracking device before driving away, he said. Vehicles fitted with devices by all major tracking firms had been targeted.

“In one case the client was contacted via a cell number to advise that there was a problem with their tracking unit fitted in the vehicle. The technicians arrived on site, via an Uber vehicle, and started ‘working’ on the vehicle. After 10-15 minutes they advised the client that they needed to take the vehicle for a test drive as they were battling to get a signal,” he said.

“After around 10 minutes they contacted the client from a cell number to advise that they were still testing, to create a sense of security with the client, allowing the criminals extra getaway time and delays the reporting of the incident,” he said.

In a separate incident, when the suspects contacted a client and wanted to test drive the vehicle, the client had insisted that he would drive, Morgan said.

“When they started to ask questions about the unit the client became suspicious and offloaded the suspects, averting the scam,” he said, adding that so far incidents had been reported in Johannesburg and Midrand in Gauteng, although other tracking companies may have had different experiences.

He said the firm had launched a multi-pronged strategy to combat the threat and had engaged with Gauteng provincial SAPS.

He said alerts had been sent to customers, staff and fitment centres, and investigations were under way.

“Netstar is actively collaborating with the authorities, business partners and industry stakeholders to address the issue.

“We are conducting an inquiry to ensure customer information remains protected and to help apprehend suspects so that justice is served. We have alerted customers of the situation, warning them to be vigilant, as several attempts have been thwarted by alert customers,” he said.

“All Netstar customer information is secured by strict access-control protocols.

“Our investigations indicate that customer information was not compromised by Netstar itself, and that the criminals acquired customer telephone and vehicle details via other means,” he said.

Tracker operational services executive Ron Knott-Craig said incidents had only been reported in Gauteng at this stage.

“Criminals are becoming more creative due to the increased sophistication in technology of vehicles as well as the success that vehicle tracking companies have in recovering vehicles. The scamsters are very convincing and Tracker would like to reiterate that customers should remain vigilant and contact their tracking company if they become suspicious during a call,” he said.

MiX Telematics (Africa) managing director Gert Pretorius said the firm was aware of the car-theft syndicate targeting the motoring industry.

“We have specific safety protocols and procedures in place and encourage all our customers to be proactive, alert and vigilant when it comes to their safety,” Pretorius said.

A spokesperson for the KZN SAPS, Nqobile Gwala, said: “We are not aware of cases with such modus operandi. Please direct your questions to the tracking company concerned.”

The Mercury

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