A Bolt driver has fallen victim to an identity theft syndicate after his ID card photo was used by Facebook Marketplace scammers to dupe unsuspecting online pawners. 

Musawenkosi Xulu found out last week that his images and his ID had been circulated on social media after a woman from Vosloorus, on the East Rand, was scammed when she sold a stove on Facebook Marketplace.  

The buyer had used a fake proof of payment together with Xulu’s photos to convince the woman that he was a legitimate customer who wanted to purchase the R7,000 stove.

But the woman found out later, after the stove was “sold” that she had been a victim of a scam. 

The Twitter post on the scam led to a barrage of other victims who also sold items such as cellphones and computer printers to the same scammer who used Xulu’s identity to win over their victims’ trust. 

On Friday, Sowetan Consumer traced Xulu to Soweto, where he had been working between transporting children to school and as a Bolt driver. 

“My brother, this week has been a terrible for me and my family. I’m still angry and confused,” he said.

“I learnt about this whole thing on Monday when my nephew showed me my pictures on Twitter. He said someone had alleged that I scammed them of their stove. The pictures on Twitter were indeed of me. Even the crack that runs from the top of my ID confirmed that to me.”

Xulu said he had never lost his ID but he recalled that in March an Uber client had requested him to pick up an item from Carletonville and drop it off in Yeoville. 

“In Carletonville I met a lady who had sold a pram on Facebook to someone in Yeoville. She asked me to pose for a picture standing next to the pram and also to give her my ID so she could send the pictures to her customer for reassurance.

“I then took the pram and drove to Yeoville. On my way the person who had requested the trip changed the address for the drop off and said we should meet on the road somewhere in Yeoville. We met and I handed over the pram,” said Xulu.

Later that day, Xulu said he received a call from the Carletonville woman saying she had not received money for the pram.

That was the last time Xulu heard of the matter until last week when the pictures of him in Carletonville surfaced on Twitter. 

“I started receiving calls from friends and relatives who had seen my photos online. I couldn’t explain to them because at the time I didn’t know how the pictures ended up on social media until a few days ago when I had a recollection of the lady in Carletonville. She is a victim too,” said Xulu.

He says he made an affidavit at the Westonaria police station on Wednesday, distancing himself from the scam.

Sowetan has seen a copy of his statement.