By: Kelvin Chiringa
The police have warned of unscrupulous elements pretending to be sports minister Erastus Uutoni and scamming unsuspecting victims on social media site, Facebook.
“This weekend we received information and or complaints from victims of scams after they were contacted on Facebook by a scammer who operates under the office of the minister of sport, youth and national service and using the name and picture of Honorable Erastus Uutoni,” said the head of public relations, Chief Inspector Kauna Shikwambi.
Shikwambi said the information by the scammers is that the minister has nominated beneficiaries of the ministry’s development program for the youth in any business project in Southern Africa.
The scammers further request the said beneficiaries to pay an urgent administration fee of 270 British pounds which is over N$5 000.
The police said the minister has already been consulted in this regard and has distanced himself from such information.
“Owing to that, the Namibian police force would like to reiterate our warning to the public members, to be extra-cautious and avoid online trading. On occasions we advise the public to authenticate with the relevant offices on any information they receive on social media, particularly information requesting for payment,” said Shikwambi.
The minister is not the only one to have his name used by scammers.
Last year, they went as far as hacking the agriculture minister, Alpheus !Naruseb’s Facebook account.
The hackers claimed to be the minister of agriculture, water and forestry and circulated false information stating that the EU was offering loans to Africans through the Afri-Agro Loan Budget to eradicate poverty in Africa.
The minister of finance Calle Schlettwein also warned of a fake LinkedIn account in circulation last year, purporting, soliciting and offering assistance to business people.
