Scammers on the Prowl: Govt Alerts Public to Driver’s Licences Scam

By Loyd Matare

The government has issued a warning to the public to be cautious of fraudsters posing as driver’s licence agents.

These scammers send fake text messages, demanding payment in exchange for fake driver’s licences. They then direct victims to the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) offices in Eastlea, Harare, where they ask for a fee before disappearing.

According to the Civil Vehicle Registry (CVR) department, the scammer uses Econet numbers 0779 171 199 and 0783 123 505 to send text messages, claiming that driver’s licenses are ready for collection.

The scammer uses various names, including Mr Moyo, Mr Sibanda, Mr Nkomo, or Mr Dube from VID Eastlea.

In a statement, CVR department stated, “Once the victims arrive in Harare, he directs them to deposit US$50 into either OneMoney, whose details are 0715 107 676 or 0715 107 468 and Ecocash 0786 721 613.

“The scammer then blocks the victim after the payment is made. The public has been urged to be vigilant and report such incidents to the nearest police station.

“Secondly, do not deposit any money into an account provided by a stranger. Report to the nearest police station if you are texted by any of the above listed numbers to help the Zimbabwe Republic Police to apprehend the fraudsters,” read part of the statement.

To avoid falling victim to this scam, it is essential to be cautious of unsolicited text messages and never deposit money into an unknown account.

If you receive a suspicious text message, report it to the nearest police station immediately, CVR warned.