More arrests in R99 debit order scam

• Published date: 10 May 2022
• Publication title: South African Official News

Gauteng Hawks' head, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, has commended the investigation team for successfully apprehending the additional alleged fraudsters involved in unauthorised debit order transactions where bank clients have lost approximately R18 million, collectively.

This as two additional accused, Ravenda Singh (50), and his son Andrew (26), Directors of a Durban based call-centre, Sub User, were nabbed on 4 May 2022, in Johannesburg.

In a statement, the Hawks said the duo handed themselves in at the Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Johannesburg and were subsequently charged with fraud.

'On the same day, the pair appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court and were each granted R30 000 bail,' said Hawks spokesperson Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu.

She said the suspects were linked through a forensic investigation carried out by the banks, which discovered undue debit orders through the suspects' call-centre companies.

'The accused allegedly created fraudulent bank payment system to collect debit orders for call-centres which resulted to unauthorised debit orders. Numerous clients from several banks country-wide, reportedly lost their hard earned cash through the R99 debit order withdrawn fraudulently between November 2018 and February 2019,' said Mulamu.

Their case was postponed...