Recently the Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko became aware of a fake Facebook account that purports to be his.
The FB account is under Nhleko’s full names, Nkosinathi Nhleko and even features the Minister’s individual pictures and those taken with members of the SAPS.
Said Minister Nhleko: “I wish to categorically distance myself from the Facebook account and regard the fraudulent use of my name and pictures as a serious violation of my individual rights. This act must be condemned in the strongest terms possible. For the record, I have never been on social media and have no intention to do so in the near future.”
Nhleko said he did not want to take the matter lightly just because the fraudulent act was on social media.
He said this personal episode should sensitize all South Africans about the dark world of Internet fraud and incidents of rising cybercrime globally.
“The act is utterly disgusting and devilish. Plato summed it pretty well: false words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.”
The Minister is currently considering appropriate legal action and encourages all South Africans to periodically check if they too may be victims of social network fraud and other cybercrimes.
At its 85th INTERPOL General Assembly in Indonesia last week, which Minister Nathi Nhleko attended, the world policing body noted that criminals had intensified their abuse of social media.
“In particular there is an escalating use of the Internet and social media to conduct crimes ranging from illicit trade to child sexual abuse,” warns INTERPOL.
Enquiries:
Sandile Ngidi
E-mail: 079 354 5347
