Gauteng Man Falls Victim to Facebook Marketplace Scam and Kidnapping Ordeal

In a distressing turn of events, a man from Olievenhoutbosch in Centurion, Gauteng, endured a terrifying kidnapping incident and lost R77,000 to fraudsters in a Facebook Marketplace scam. The 39-year-old victim, whose identity remains protected, was lured by an advert for a seemingly affordable Audi A4, priced at R54,000. The man, in pursuit of replacing his vehicle which had been recently written off, responded to the advert only to find himself embroiled in a grim scam that would leave him penniless and traumatized.

The victim recounted that the ordeal began when he had arranged to meet the seller in Mabopane, spurred by a harrowing tale of the seller's need for money to fund a burial. On Friday, a day after taking the bait, he and his cousin traveled to the location, only to be led by the seller to a secluded spot. There, they were suddenly set upon by three gunmen who proceeded to rob them of their mobile phones and coerced the victim into the boot of a car. In a cruel twist, the criminals manipulated his banking applications, increasing his withdrawal limits, and drained his insurance payout of R75,000 from Standard Bank into his Capitec account. Following this, they performed a 'cash-send' to further siphon his funds.

This travesty reflects the victim's trust in Facebook Marketplace, a platform he regularly used for purchasing items. However, this confidence was shattered as he was forced to witness the violent depletion of his funds, which he hoped would go towards a new car.

The victim's ordeal was truncated by the prompt intervention of the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD), who acted on intelligence from an informant. TMPD spokesperson Isaac Mahamba confirmed that the police swiftly located the scene of the crime, rescuing the victim and his cousin unscathed. Three individuals were arrested on charges of hijacking, kidnapping, and extortion. Mahamba took the opportunity to stress the importance of caution when conducting transactions over social media platforms, a sentiment echoed by the ordeal of the unfortunate victim.

The recent incident underscores the potential hazards of transactions through social media marketplaces and highlights the need for heightened vigilance. The frightening experience of the Gauteng man serves as a stern reminder that such platforms, while valuable for commerce, also harbor risks of fraud and even physical harm.