Kasane pharmacist scammed P134 000

Scammers continue to prey on unsuspecting Batswana, leaving many financially ruined and emotionally shattered, despite repeated warnings from the police, banks, mobile money operators and cybercrime experts.

The latest victim is a 29-year-old pharmacist from Kasane who lost P134 000 to fraudsters on Friday after receiving what appeared to be legitimate calls regarding his bank accounts.

The incident has once again raised concern over the growing wave of cybercrime in Botswana, with experts warning that criminals are becoming more advanced and manipulative.

The Midweek Sun learned that the young pharmacist had just received a loan into his bank account when he began receiving calls from three different cell-phone numbers informing him that there was a need to update his Know Your Customer (KYC) information for security purposes.

Believing he was speaking to genuine officials, the victim reportedly cooperated with the callers, who promised to send One-Time Passwords (OTPs) for verification.

The pharmacist reportedly had several accounts containing money, including Orange Money, MyZaka and two commercial bank accounts. Moments after sharing some of the requested details, he allegedly started noticing transactions taking place without his permission.

Within a short space of time, his accounts had reportedly been drained. The incident left the young man completely broke.

Confirming the matter, Senior Superintendent Peter Masole said police are investigating the case. No arrests have been made so far.

“If you receive such calls, tell the caller that you will visit the bank. Never share personal details through the phone,” Masole warned.

Cybercrime is affecting people from different walks of life, including pensioners, professionals, businesspeople and unemployed youth. The Botswana Police Service have over the years, conducted public awareness campaigns, radio talks and dramatisations warning people against sharing passwords, PINs and OTPs. However, despite the campaigns, many continue to lose money and valuable property, such as vehicles, to fraudsters.

Cyber awareness specialist, David Moepeng, says scammers are becoming more convincing, organised and psychologically manipulative.

“Many scams today are designed to create panic, excitement, fear, or urgency, causing people to react emotionally before they think critically,” Moepeng said.

He explained that fraudsters exploit human trust, financial pressure, curiosity and kindness to manipulate victims. According to Moepeng, the growth of smartphones, mobile banking, social media and digital payments has opened more opportunities for cybercriminals to target people quickly and cheaply.

He said many citizens still lack practical cybersecurity awareness and often underestimate the danger posed by online fraud.

“Some people assume scams only happen to other people, when in reality anyone can become a target regardless of age, education or profession,” he said.

Moepeng also warned that scammers constantly change their tactics.

“As soon as the public becomes aware of one scam, criminals change tactics, language, platforms or impersonation techniques,” he added. He believes Botswana needs a stronger and continuous national cybercrime awareness campaign.

“At Cybersmart Botswana, we are doing our part to spread awareness, but our efforts are constrained by limited resources, particularly funding,” he said.

Moepeng argued that awareness campaigns are often occasional, while scammers operate daily without pause.

“Today, banking, mobile money and most financial transactions are happening digitally. Protecting people’s money requires aggressive, large-scale and continuous public education,” he said. He also believes banks, telecommunications companies and financial institutions need to do more to educate customers about cyber threats. “Many institutions are encouraging rapid adoption of digital services, but their investment in customer education falls far short of the scale of that push,” he said. Moepeng explained that scammers commonly rely on impersonation, fear and pressure to manipulate victims.

Some pretend to be bank officials, mobile network employees, government officers, employers or even relatives. Among the most common scams currently affecting Batswana are fake calls about blocked accounts, phishing SMSes containing dangerous links, fake investment schemes, romance scams, fake online shopping deals and fraudulent job opportunities targeting desperate job seekers.

Others involve SIM swap fraud, where criminals gain control of a victim’s cellphone number to access banking services and mobile money accounts.

Moepeng said account hijacking on WhatsApp and Facebook is also becoming increasingly common. “A major tactic used by scammers is creating pressure. They want victims to act immediately without verifying information,” he said. He warned against responding to alarming statements such as “your account will be blocked” or “update your banking app urgently.”

The cybercrime specialist further noted that scammers are now using professional language, fake customer care lines, cloned social media accounts and even artificial intelligence tools to appear genuine.

“The scams are becoming so convincing that even digitally aware individuals can be deceived,” he warned.

According to Moepeng, elderly people, unemployed youth, small business owners, entrepreneurs and social media users are among the most targeted groups.

He urged Batswana never to share passwords, PINs, OTPs or banking verification codes with anyone.

“Cybersecurity awareness must become part of everyday life. Just as people lock their homes and cars, they must also protect their digital lives with the same level of caution,” he said.