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Bulawayo shoppers fall victim to fraudulent 'runner' scheme
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Bulawayo residents were left reeling after falling victim to a fraudulent scheme involving a self-proclaimed South African-based "runner" who lured unsuspecting shoppers with promises of delivering goods.
According to some of the victims interviewed by Southern Eye, Brenda Sibanda allegedly portrayed herself as a legitimate agent capable of handling shopping on behalf of clients based in Zimbabwe.
The concept of "runner" services emerged during the hard lockdown when borders were closed, and many sought alternatives to acquire goods from neighboring South Africa. The scam typically involved the runner receiving money from buyers, purchasing goods in South Africa, and sending them to Zimbabwe for collection.
Prince Ngwenya, a local trader whose account was reportedly used by Sibanda, described how the scam operated through social media platforms, primarily WhatsApp.
"She claims to be in South Africa and operates a WhatsApp group where she posts clothes and invites clients to place orders," Ngwenya explained.
The victims would transfer money to Ngwenya's South African account, after which Sibanda would request the funds to be transferred to her eWallet. However, she allegedly failed to deliver the goods, leaving the victims to report their lost funds.
"This is how she scams people. They lose their money, and I ended up being flagged and had my account blocked," Ngwenya said.
Ngwenya also noted that he had saved photos of Sibanda, but was unsure whether they truly belonged to her.
"The photos she sent were deleted quickly, but I managed to save them. I can't say for sure that they are hers, but they match her profile picture," he added.
To date, Ngwenya estimates that the amount lost through this fraudulent scheme amounts to R7,000.
Despite efforts by Southern Eye to locate Sibanda, she could not be reached. However, a snap survey in Bulawayo revealed that several individuals had experienced similar losses through the same modus operandi.
The collapse of Zimbabwe's economy and shortages of basic commodities have driven many Zimbabweans to seek alternatives, including smuggling goods from South Africa through border posts like Beitbridge and Plumtree. According to the United Nations MONTRADE database, Zimbabwe imported US$3.5 billion worth of goods from South Africa in 2023.
These goods include clothes, cereals, electronics, animal products, and essential oils, all of which are frequently smuggled into Zimbabwe. The porous border system has made it easier for such fraudulent schemes to thrive, leaving many victims with significant financial losses.
According to some of the victims interviewed by Southern Eye, Brenda Sibanda allegedly portrayed herself as a legitimate agent capable of handling shopping on behalf of clients based in Zimbabwe.
The concept of "runner" services emerged during the hard lockdown when borders were closed, and many sought alternatives to acquire goods from neighboring South Africa. The scam typically involved the runner receiving money from buyers, purchasing goods in South Africa, and sending them to Zimbabwe for collection.
Prince Ngwenya, a local trader whose account was reportedly used by Sibanda, described how the scam operated through social media platforms, primarily WhatsApp.
"She claims to be in South Africa and operates a WhatsApp group where she posts clothes and invites clients to place orders," Ngwenya explained.
The victims would transfer money to Ngwenya's South African account, after which Sibanda would request the funds to be transferred to her eWallet. However, she allegedly failed to deliver the goods, leaving the victims to report their lost funds.
"This is how she scams people. They lose their money, and I ended up being flagged and had my account blocked," Ngwenya said.
Ngwenya also noted that he had saved photos of Sibanda, but was unsure whether they truly belonged to her.
"The photos she sent were deleted quickly, but I managed to save them. I can't say for sure that they are hers, but they match her profile picture," he added.
To date, Ngwenya estimates that the amount lost through this fraudulent scheme amounts to R7,000.
Despite efforts by Southern Eye to locate Sibanda, she could not be reached. However, a snap survey in Bulawayo revealed that several individuals had experienced similar losses through the same modus operandi.
The collapse of Zimbabwe's economy and shortages of basic commodities have driven many Zimbabweans to seek alternatives, including smuggling goods from South Africa through border posts like Beitbridge and Plumtree. According to the United Nations MONTRADE database, Zimbabwe imported US$3.5 billion worth of goods from South Africa in 2023.
These goods include clothes, cereals, electronics, animal products, and essential oils, all of which are frequently smuggled into Zimbabwe. The porous border system has made it easier for such fraudulent schemes to thrive, leaving many victims with significant financial losses.
Source - newsday
