25-Year-Old Zimbabwean Card Cloner, Identity Thief Arrested
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), reportedly arrested 25-year-old fraud mastermind, Trynos Muzanenhamo in connection with a spate of fraud cases, cybercrimes and money laundering cases that occurred during the period extending from 2020 to June 2023.
It is alleged that Muzanenhamo duped individuals and companies of their cash using various techniques including card-cloning, identity theft, WhatsApp hacking, social media-aided advance fee fraud, corporate account hacking, phishing scams and hot airtime recharge scams, among others.
Information at hand suggests that on 15th June 2023 detectives from Criminal Investigation Department’s Commercial Crimes Division, Harare, reacted to a tip-off and arrested Muzanenhamo in Chiendambuya, Headlands after a speed chase.
The suspect was arrested while driving a Toyota Hilux GD 6 vehicle which he was using as a getaway car.
According to police investigations, the suspect, who was once a mobile phone provider employee sent a One Time Password code to unsuspecting members of the public for confirmation, thereby enabling him to hack and gain access to the unsuspecting persons’ bank accounts.
The hacked accounts were used to receive fraudulently obtained funds from various sources.
The suspect would also hack WhatsApp accounts, use foreign accounts and fake identity documents to create fraudulent accounts which he used to defraud individuals and companies.
The suspect allegedly duped the victims of approximately ZW$ 27 996 000 and US$ 1 800.
ZRP is appealing to members of the public who could have been defrauded through phone hacking, WhatsApp hacking and identity theft to report at the Criminal Investigation Commercial Crimes Division, Harare or any nearest Police Station.
Meanwhile, ZRP is appealing for information that may lead to the arrest of the suspect’s accomplices, Trevor Muzanenhamo, Bradwell Shangwa and Timothy Bvuramiti who are still at large.
ZBC
