'%20id='ico-down'%20stroke='%23000000'%20stroke-width='1.5'%3e%3cg%20transform='translate(1092.250000,%20254.750000)'%3e%3cpolyline%20id='Path-2-Copy-4'%20transform='translate(5.500000,%202.750000)%20scale(1,%20-1)%20rotate(-180.000000)%20translate(-5.500000,%20-2.750000)%20'%20points='0%200%205.5%205.5%2011%200'%3e%3c/polyline%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small}
South Africa’s government on Friday warned against a Facebook impersonator who solicits online bribes in the name of the deputy president.
Users of the popular social networking site mistakenly thought a fake profile for Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on the popular social networking site was the real deal, his spokesman Thabo Masebe said.
Through the profile the scammer asked a man to pay 450 pounds ($700, 530 euros) into a bank account.
“When (the man) saw this he became suspicious and called us to ask us if the deputy president has a Facebook account,” Masebe told AFP.
“This person starts asking them to send money, which will enable them to receive government services or funding for a project,” he explained.
At least ten profiles on Facebook carry Motlanthe’s name, but he does not have an account himself.
His office has written to Facebook to have the offending profile removed, but can do little else.
“Police can only get involved when you have a suspect. We are dealing with a faceless person,” said Masebe.