WeeklySA_AdminSWEET NOTHINGS: Casanova tells besotted victim he has R5m-worth of diamonds
By Thuli Zungu
During lockdown and its restrictions no one thought that people would be tempted to seek love on-line except for our safety, but they did. Hearts were broken, bank accounts were cleaned and love hunting birds were left in tears.
The pandemic made it easier for scammers to tell their suitors that they are unable to travel because of the restrictions. Some scammers cancelled first date plans Claiming they had tested positive with COVID-19.
Nonkululeko Ngwenya* 51, of Brakpan, Ekurhuleni, was conned out of R70 000 within a day last month, just shortly after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the recent 28 days lockdown. Ngwenya said she lost her partner 10 years ago and a colleague who married a man she met online enticed her to try online dating.
Early in January she signed up on a number of dating sites and a few days later a would-be suitor named Jerry Smith responded and told her he was a widower and a father of two minor children who needed a mother, Ngwenya said.
They quickly moved their conversations to WhatsApp and private telephone calls where they shared a lot of information as their relationship steadily grew. During this time Smith spoiled her with gifts and cash for entertainment, which won Ngwenya’s confidence.
Ngwenya knows Smith as a businessman who travels a lot, but based in Sandton. She said he promised to come home during the Easter holiday as he was away on a business trip, but later cancelled the trip stating that he had tested positive. He sent her a Valentine’s gift instead.
“He kept on spoiling me without making any financial demands until the recent level 4 lockdown,” Ngwenya said Early June Smith told her he needed R10 000 to clear customs taxes.
That same evening, Smith told her he had not disclosed there were diamonds hidden in the stock she had asked her to collect from AU Global Services at OR Tambo and he needed a further R60 000 to get a clearance certificate. Ngwenya, who was retrenched last year, said she transferred the money into his account after Smith told him that the diamonds were worth R5 million.
“After seeing the photos of the diamonds on my whatsApp page I immediately transferred the amount he needed,” said Ngwenya. Within 24 hours she had parted with R70 000 and a few days later Smith demanded a further R30 000 which she could not afford as her reserves had run dry.
“After this he no longer took my calls and I could see he read my WhatsApp messages but never bothered to reply,” Ngwenya said.
She then smelled a rat and reported her suspicions at the Kempton Park police station and discovered that this was a scam that has been ongoing since 2018. Smith dropped the phone when Consumer Eyes contacted him for a comment and his phone has since been on voicemail ever since.
