MOSSEL BAY NEWS - An alarming new trend has emerged in scams directed at the victims of recent vehicle thefts or hijackings.

This is according to Hugo van der Merwe, the national manager: assessing at MUA Insurance Acceptances. 

Van der Merwe says the company has already seen multiple instances where policy holders have been targeted by fraudsters following the theft or hijacking of their insured vehicle.

"Shortly after reporting a stolen or hijacked vehicle to the polices, a number of policy holders stated that they were contacted by individuals posing as police officers.

"In each of these cases, the fraudster informs the policy holder that the stolen or hijacked vehicle has been recovered in a different province or even in a neighbouring country.

"The policy holders are told they need to pay fees via an electronic funds transfer (EFT) or an electronic wallet to have their vehicle returned to them."

Van der Merwe warns that this is not regular police procedure and that individuals should under no circumstances pay these or any other types of fees if they are contacted after a vehicle theft or hijacking.

"These instances have been brought to the attention of the police and are being investigated as a matter of urgency.

However, if policy holder are still unsure about whether they are expected to pay any fees, they should first contact their broker or the commander of the police station where they originally reported the theft or hijacking of their vehicle to confirm this."

He adds that it is vital for all consumers to be alert, especially if they are the victim of a recent vehicle theft or hijacking.

"Always remember that if an insured vehicle is recovered, the policy holder will be informed by the police investigating officer and will never be asked to pay additional recovery fees," Van der Merwe concludes.

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