An tightly-kniit syndicate of cyber criminals fraudulently wiping Zimbabweans their hard earned cash duping their unsuspecting victims to be influential business people seeking investment partneships and in return get their rewards after a successfull investment transaction in Europe and the West.
The new wave of crime rocking Harare is being peddled on media social platforms.
The latest wave of fraud has seen the names of respected personalities such as Croco Motors boss Moses Chingwena, Deputy Minister Tino Machakaire, businessman Scott Sakupwanya, and CIO Director-General Fulton Mangwanya being fraudulently used by criminals to deceive people into making fake payments.
Authorities confirm that the scam has been operating for several years, evolving with time but maintaining the same deceitful method. In most cases, the fraudsters pretend to be one of these high-profile individuals, contacting victims through phone calls or WhatsApp messages and claiming they urgently need help facilitating a financial transaction.
The scammers often instruct their targets to deposit money into a South African FNB account, promising that the funds will be reimbursed in United States dollars upon collection in Harare. Victims are led to believe they are offering a temporary service to powerful business or political figures — only to discover too late that they have been conned.
Law enforcement sources have confirmed that some members of the syndicate have been arrested, while others remain at large, operating across borders and using sophisticated digital tools to conceal their identities.
One security expert described the trend as “a coordinated impersonation racket targeting both public trust and economic desperation.” The expert added:
“These scammers study the public image of influential figures, then exploit it to manipulate victims who believe they are helping or doing business with a well-known person. It’s a psychological trap.”
The names of prominent Zimbabweans are being weaponized in this scheme, creating not only financial losses but also reputational damage for those being impersonated. For instance, recent false claims online suggested that CIO Director-General Fulton Mangwanya had personally lost money to scammers — a claim that has since been disproved.
In reality, Mangwanya was never a victim, and the individuals responsible for misusing his name were caught and dealt with by South African police.
Similarly, both Scott Sakupwanya and Tino Machakaire have repeatedly been victims of impersonation scams in which their names are used to request payments from unsuspecting businesspeople and service providers.
Authorities are now calling on citizens to exercise vigilance, verify all communications, and report suspicious requests to law enforcement before parting with any money.
“No legitimate businessperson or government official will ask strangers to transfer funds into foreign accounts,” warned one police source. “If someone claims to represent a public figure and requests payment, contact the person’s official office or the police immediately.”
As digital scams become more sophisticated, members of the public are advised to treat all unsolicited financial requests with skepticism, no matter whose name is being used.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has reiterated its commitment to tracking down the perpetrators and has urged anyone with information to come forward.
In the meantime, the message to all Zimbabweans is clear:
Be cautious. Verify before you trust. And never send money based on name-dropping — no matter how convincing it sounds.
