Hawks sound alarm over fraudulent car dealers across SA
Hawks appeal to car and truck dealerships to be extra vigilant for fake government tenders. Picture: African News Agency /ANA Hawks appeal to car and truck dealerships to be extra vigilant for fake government tenders. Picture: African News Agency /ANA
Cape Town - The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) has sounded a resounding alarm to all car and truck dealerships in the country about fraudulent government tenders.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Philani Nkwalase appealed to the public to be extra vigilant when tendering for contracts appearing to be from government departments.
“This comes after a spate of fraudulent tenders targeting several car and truck dealerships in Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Kimberley and Pietermaritzburg,” said Nkwalase.
The fraudsters allegedly use the logos of government departments and emails which appear to originate from the said state departments, ordering high performing cars or specialised contractor vehicles in big numbers.
Upon delivery of these vehicles, randomly hired drivers deliver these to secluded destinations or depots, he said.
"Investigations in these cases have lead to a few arrests and some recoveries, while others remain at large. This is due to the fact that unsuspecting car dealerships often release these vehicles without payment, as they are under the impression that these are state tender and payment processes will follow,” added Nkwalase.
As a preventative measure, dealerships should visit the physical address to ensure that the people are a true representative of the Government departments, he advised.