Two Mahalapye men swindled in separate phone scams
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday April 1, 2026 06:00
In the first incident, Mahalapye Central Police Station assistant commander, Assistant Superintendent Malakia Gabana, said the 45-year-old victim allegedly received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the Sefalana Cash & Carry headquarters in Gaborone.
The caller reportedly informed the victim that he had won a P8,000 shopping voucher and needed to confirm his banking details. Believing the claim, Gabana said the unsuspecting man shared his information and later discovered that P3,800 had been withdrawn from his bank account.
In a separate case, a 56-year-old man was defrauded after posting on Facebook seeking a secondhand car part. He was contacted by a suspect who claimed to be based in Orapa and allegedly had the required part for sale.
According to Gabana, the two agreed on the transaction over the phone, and the victim sent P600 after the suspect promised to dispatch the part via a bus from Orapa. However, the victim never received the promised bus details, as the suspect’s phone was subsequently switched off. He later reported the matter to the police.
Police have since warned members of the public to exercise caution when making phone transactions.
Gabana urged individuals not to share their banking details with unknown callers and to avoid trusting unsolicited offers, noting that fraudsters continue to prey on unsuspecting victims for financial gain.