The case dates back to August 2024, when a woman reported to police that she had been defrauded by a man she met online. Their relationship began on Facebook and moved to WhatsApp, where the man claimed his son was critically ill. Over time, he convinced the woman to “lend” him various sums of money. These amounts eventually totaled more than R3.4 million.

The scammer, posing as a white man named Mark Hermanus, allegedly redistributed the funds to his accomplices with promises of repayment that never materialized. The woman’s identity is being withheld to protect her from further distress.

Earlier, three men had already been arrested for their roles in the scam. A 40-year-old foreign national was taken into custody in October 2024 and later released on bail. Another man was arrested in Johannesburg in March and also released on bail. The third suspect was detained in late June.

Investigators say the scheme involved several individuals working together to defraud the woman, and more arrests are expected as the probe continues.

This case is part of a growing trend of romance scams in South Africa, where unsuspecting individuals are lured into fake relationships and financially exploited. Victims include both men and women, many of whom have lost life savings, pensions, and borrowed funds.

Authorities are urging the public to be cautious when forming relationships online and to report any suspicious activity to the police immediately.

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