Detectives ground 'fake pilot's online romance scam'

Masquerading as a pilot, promising love and visits, a 49-year-old man wooed women in their 60s on social media.

But the foreign national's alleged romance scam ran out of runway after detectives from the Western Cape commercial crimes unit caught wind of it.

"Members received information of a romance scam whereby the accused is targeting woman in their sixties on a social media platform," police spokesperson Anelisiwe Manyana said on Wednesday.

"According to reports the accused would present himself as a pilot and promise love and visits to the victims. It is alleged that he would request a fee for the release of the goods he purchased for them."

Manyana said the investigation was ongoing and there could be more arrests.

“Western Cape police would like to warn the public of the trend where vulnerable victims are targeted on platforms where single people are seeking companionship and then fall prey to online scammers,” added Manyana. 

The suspect is expected to appear soon in the Strand magistrate’s court on charges of fraud and theft.

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