A woman from Orlando, Johannesburg has allegedly been defrauded of about R267,500 by someone she met on Tinder.
After being told to withdraw her “dirty money” from the bank and keep it in a safe in a prayer room, she was left counting “white papers” when she finally opened the safe.
, She was told after a prayer session her money would multiply into R23m.
Police have confirmed a case of theft was registered at Orlando police station and that three suspects were arrested on Wednesday.
TimesLIVE understands the suspects are from Uganda and Rwanda.
Gauteng police spokesperson Mavela Masondo said the suspects, all in their thirties, appeared in the Orlando magistrate's court on Friday.
“There is a possibility that more charges will be added, pending the investigation,” he said.
According to a police source, the woman met the man, who said he was from Kenya, through Tinder on September 15 and they exchanged numbers.
Two days after exchanging photos, he asked for a date.
However, before they met, he asked her to send him R1,200 to his number, which she did.
After the suspect requested an Uber for her, they met in a public place as she didn’t trust him.
On their first date, the man kept asking about her job, where she worked and what she did and she told him she owned a security company.
The suspect then suggested they go to a church, which was in the suspect's yard, to pray for their relationship.
On September 20, the woman went for a prayer session with the suspect, and while they were inside an unknown man dressed in church attire told them their families were a problem and to get help they needed to pay R25,000.
The woman deposited R10,000 into the man's account.
The unknown man, who she believed was a priest, called her for another prayer session but for this session she was asked to bring Ricoffy (coffee) and sea salt.
According to the police source, the woman was asked to step outside for a few minutes and then was called back in.
They closed the door, switched off the lights and started praying. After praying they switched on the lights and saw a “skeleton” inside the coffee tin.
She was told the skeleton would bring bad luck into her life and was asked to pay R65,000 to prevent it.
The woman was also told the money in her account was “dirty” and she must withdraw all of it.
She withdrew R20,000 daily.
After withdrawing the money, the priest told her to buy a safe and the money was stored in it in her presence in the prayer room.
She was then told to take the safe back to her house and instructed to open it only on Monday, November 20.
She was told that the money would mature into R23m.
However, when she opened the safe she found only “white papers” and no money.
According to the police source, the total amount taken was R267,500.
TimesLIVE
Woman defrauded in love scam withdrew all her 'dirty money' and kept it in prayer room
She was told the money would mature into R23m, but when she opened the safe she found only white pieces of paper and no money.
Image: 123RF
A woman from Orlando, Johannesburg has allegedly been defrauded of about R267,500 by someone she met on Tinder.
After being told to withdraw her “dirty money” from the bank and keep it in a safe in a prayer room, she was left counting “white papers” when she finally opened the safe.
, She was told after a prayer session her money would multiply into R23m.
Police have confirmed a case of theft was registered at Orlando police station and that three suspects were arrested on Wednesday.
TimesLIVE understands the suspects are from Uganda and Rwanda.
Gauteng police spokesperson Mavela Masondo said the suspects, all in their thirties, appeared in the Orlando magistrate's court on Friday.
“There is a possibility that more charges will be added, pending the investigation,” he said.
According to a police source, the woman met the man, who said he was from Kenya, through Tinder on September 15 and they exchanged numbers.
Two days after exchanging photos, he asked for a date.
However, before they met, he asked her to send him R1,200 to his number, which she did.
After the suspect requested an Uber for her, they met in a public place as she didn’t trust him.
On their first date, the man kept asking about her job, where she worked and what she did and she told him she owned a security company.
The suspect then suggested they go to a church, which was in the suspect's yard, to pray for their relationship.
On September 20, the woman went for a prayer session with the suspect, and while they were inside an unknown man dressed in church attire told them their families were a problem and to get help they needed to pay R25,000.
The woman deposited R10,000 into the man's account.
The unknown man, who she believed was a priest, called her for another prayer session but for this session she was asked to bring Ricoffy (coffee) and sea salt.
According to the police source, the woman was asked to step outside for a few minutes and then was called back in.
They closed the door, switched off the lights and started praying. After praying they switched on the lights and saw a “skeleton” inside the coffee tin.
She was told the skeleton would bring bad luck into her life and was asked to pay R65,000 to prevent it.
The woman was also told the money in her account was “dirty” and she must withdraw all of it.
She withdrew R20,000 daily.
After withdrawing the money, the priest told her to buy a safe and the money was stored in it in her presence in the prayer room.
She was then told to take the safe back to her house and instructed to open it only on Monday, November 20.
She was told that the money would mature into R23m.
However, when she opened the safe she found only “white papers” and no money.
According to the police source, the total amount taken was R267,500.
TimesLIVE
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