A 62-year-old retired teacher from Durban has become the latest victim of catfishing after a man she met on the internet a week ago stole her valuable jewellery.
The woman, who is separated from her husband, was allegedly manipulated into surrendering her jewellery under the guise of a spiritual cleansing ritual that was meant to be performed in Cape Town by her new lover.
The woman, who declined to be named, reported her ordeal at the Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) office on Tuesday, where she also submitted WhatsApp chat records and courier documentation linked to the incident.
According to Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram, the woman met the suspect on a dating app about a week ago.
“Communication soon transitioned to WhatsApp, where the man, presenting himself as a prominent businessman based in Cape Town, intensified the interaction through persistent romantic messaging, flattery, and claims of spiritual insight,” said Balram.
The victim admitted to overlooking clear warning signs during the interaction
— Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram
During this brief period, the suspect allegedly exploited the woman’s loneliness after the separation from her husband and gained her trust.
“The victim admitted to overlooking clear warning signs during the interaction,” explained Balram.
The suspect later claimed that the woman’s family jewellery and heirlooms, including a gold mangalsutra (a traditional pendant necklace), were possessed by evil spirits responsible for misfortune in her life.
“He convinced her that only a special prayer ritual he would perform in Cape Town could remove the curse, repeatedly assuring her that the jewellery would be returned after the cleansing,” said Balram.
On Monday this week, the woman couriered the mangalsutra to an address listed as Milnerton Mall on Loxton Road, Cape Town. The suspect’s contact number was provided to the courier company to facilitate collection of the parcel. The man has since disappeared with the items.
“At this stage, the woman has opted not to open a criminal case because she feels embarrassed. These items were passed down to her when she was a bride, and they are of significant value to her. She fell for this guy because she was lonely and needed companionship. We are seeing a lot of such stories because people are feeling lonely,” said Balram.
He urged the public to be careful when engaging in online relationships, particularly where financial demands, spiritual manipulation or requests to send valuables are involved.
“Romance scams of this nature are on the increase,” said Balram.
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