Durban - A 47-year-old man who allegedly posed as an estate agent has been charged for fraud and is expected to make his first appearance in the Durban Magistrate’s Court later today.
KZN police said the man was arrested on Monday at his rented office in Windermere Durban.
Police spokesperson, Captain Nqobile Gwala, said the suspect was positively linked to a case of fraud where the complainant saw an advert of a house on sale in Umlazi via social media.
“It appeared that the house the suspect was selling belongs to somebody else and it was placed on sale without the owner’s knowledge.
“The price of the house that was about to be fraudulently sold to different people without the owners knowledge was R220 000.”
Gwala said the suspect’s laptop, cellphone and fraudulent documents were seized by by members of The eThekwini District Task Team.
She said it is further alleged that the suspect would post houses for sale from Umlazi and the greater Durban area on social media.
“The investigation revealed that the suspect would make the unsuspecting and desperate client to sign an offer to purchase agreement on houses by showing them pictures.”
In a separate incident, Durban woman Nokwanda Vukaphi, 39, was charged with eight counts of fraud in the Durban Magistrate’s Court in July.
Vukaphi is alleged falsely advertising flats for sale.
The Daily News reported she allegedly pocketed R1.2 million through the scheme between September 2018 and October 2019.
IOL