A foreign national, identifying himself as Pastor Phillips from India, has allegedly attempted to scam several people in KwaZulu-Natal. The scam came to light on Sunday after multiple individuals received calls from the number +91 9133104107, urging them to click on a link and provide a six-digit code. The victims were led to believe that the code would grant them access to a prayer service via video call.
Other victims reported receiving similar calls from different numbers with the +91 country code (India), raising suspicion that the scam was widespread. It is believed the scammer used the codes to gain access to victims' banking apps and steal money, though the exact amount taken and the total number of victims remain unverified.
One victim shared a recorded conversation with Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), which revealed that one of the traced numbers was registered in Andhra Pradesh, a state in southeastern India. The scammer is believed to be operating from an unidentified African country.
RUSA has urged the public, particularly the elderly, to be cautious as they have recently been targeted by similar scams. Authorities are continuing to investigate the matter.