Central Bank concerned with rising scammers targeting politicians and civil servants
The country is experiencing an increasing number of scammers seeking unsolicited financial assistance from Namibians to finance the country’s developmental agenda, the country’s central bank said last week on Friday.
Scammers are targeting senior public figures including politicians and civil servants, Bank of Namibia Director: Strategic Communications and International Relations, Kazembire Zemburuka said in a statement.
“These scammers target senior political and church leaders or their relatives on the basis that they have investment funds in foreign accounts available to finance the country’s developmental agenda including the construction of mega-projects,” he explained.
The scams are known as ‘419 scams’, popularly known to trick victims into paying a certain amount of money to fraudsters by duping unsuspected participants of non-existent investment funds, Zemburuka added.
According to Zemburuka the scams are usually facilitated through the internet and social media platforms and continue to be rife because it is increasingly difficult to prosecute international scammers.
“The BoN advises that people should abstain from paying and parting with their money to such scammers and further verify investment companies with the various regulatory authorities,” he said, adding that if one falls victim, they can register a case with the Namibian Police for further investigation and criminal charges.
