Grahamstown police have warned local citizens to be careful with their IDs following the appearance of a 37-year-old man in the Grahamstown Magistrate's court on fraud charge.
Grahamstown police have warned local citizens to be careful with their IDs following the appearance of a 37-year-old man in the Grahamstown Magistrate's court on fraud charge.
The man allegedly tried to fraudulently use a dead person's identity document to open a bank account at a local bank last week. Police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender appealed to businesses, companies and individuals to be alert to similar incidents.
"Reports were also received of persons with false IDs attempting to open clothing accounts, cellphone contracts and also obtain loans," she said. Govender said members of the public should immediately report the loss of an identity document to the police immediately. They should obtain an affidavit and apply for a new one.
"This will assist as proof if you are contacted to pay for something that you have not purchased, or for pay for a loan that you have not taken," Govender said.
A reader driving past the bank last Tuesday was shocked to see the police and Hi-Tec security officers escorting two handcuffed men. In response to questions about the incident Govender confirmed the arrest of a 37-year-old man.
She said the man appeared in the magistrate's court on Wednesday on charges of fraud. Govender said the man attempted to open a bank account with the ID of a person who had died in Cape Town in 2009.
