Bulawayo duo reaps US$130k in overseas job scam

A Bulawayo due has been arrested for allegedly defrauding 46 unsuspecting job seekers of over US$130,000 in an international job facilitation scam.

In a statement Thursday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the suspects Sitshengisiwe Ndlovu, 46, and Alison Unami, 30, duped the job seekers of a total US$134,552.

The alleged fraud occurred between August 2022 and May this year.

According to police, the two posed as agents of an undisclosed company who could secure jobs and work permits in Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland for Zimbabweans seeking to relocate.

"On 03rd May 2023, police in Bulawayo arrested Alison Unami, 30, after a report had been made by one of the complainants.

"The suspect was arrested while loading property in a vehicle, preparing to vacate from their known offices.

"The other suspect, Sitshengisiwe Ndlovu, 46, was later arrested at Bulawayo Police Station, where she had visited her husband," Nyathi said.

Police investigations revealed processing of the purported employment opportunities was said to be done within three weeks upon payment of US$4,000 with interviews conducted via WhatsApp.

The suspects would give the complainants excuses upon the lapse of the waiting period.

Resultantly, 46 victims fell for the scam.

Nyathi called on the public to exercise due diligence before making any payments to individuals and employment agencies purporting to facilitate job placements abroad.

The suspects have since appeared before a Bulawayo magistrate who granted then ZW$100,000 each.