Times Of Swaziland: COPS HOT ON HEELS OF ‘FACATA’ KINGPIN

COPS HOT ON HEELS OF ‘FACATA’ KINGPIN
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Mlondzi Nkambule on 28/11/2024 12:54:00


MBABANE - Police believe that there is a kingpin behind the ‘facata’ scams,
orchestrating the entire operation, and have vowed to track them down.
‘Facata’ is a pseudo name for cyber security crime that involves the use of
cellphones. This was disclosed by Badelisa Magagula, a Cyber Security Specialist
from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), who was speaking at the MTN
headquarters in Ezulwini. The telecommunications company hosted the media to
provide updates on the ongoing investigations into the ‘facata’ scams in the
country, and also to send further warnings on how customers can protect
themselves.It is also worth mentioning that the National Commissioner (NATCOM)
of Police, Vusi Masango, issued a stern warning to ‘facata’ scammers,
stating that the law will take its course.
Scammers
The NATCOM made these remarks during the launch of the 2024 Fraud Awareness Week
at Royal Villas last week. Additionally, during a police prayer service, the
NATCOM urged the scammers to surrender, as their escape routes were becoming
increasingly limited. The ‘facata’  scam, a sophisticated form of fraud,
involves deceiving individuals into believing they have received funds, often
via Mobile Money transfer platforms. Victims are then pressured into releasing
goods or services, or return the supposed funds. Law enforcement agencies have
made significant strides in combating this crime.
At the event at MTN Eswatini’s Headquarters, Magagula also expressed his
gratitude to all the stakeholders on behalf of the police, thanking them for
their contributions in ensuring the smooth continuation of investigations into
the ‘facata’ scams. This comes shortly after the country marked Fraud
Awareness Week, last week. “We do not keep the information we require for
investigations but rely on entities such as banks and mobile network providers
like MTN. It is through their cooperation that we are able to carry out these
investigations,” he said.