Scammer Who Pretended to Be Hawks Chief Lebeya Caught in R100K Plot

A scammer who pretended to be Hawks national head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya has been arrested for allegedly extorting over R100,000 from someone connected to a well-known South African businessman. The suspect used WhatsApp and false claims about a phone hack to pull off the scheme.

According to IOL, the scammer deceived the businessman by using a fake profile photo and personal details that closely resembled those of the real Lebeya. He convinced the victim that his mobile phone had been hacked and offered to assist—only to turn the situation into a cash demand.

A man has been arrested for allegedly impersonating Hawks head, Godfrey Lebeya , and swindling a prominent Gauteng businessman out of one hundred thousand rand.

Police say the 42 year old suspect duped the businessman, after claiming that his phone had been hacked.

He then… pic.twitter.com/7EeZpijE6G

— Kaya News (@KayaNews) May 10, 2025

Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo confirmed that the incident occurred in October 2024, when the suspect first contacted the Gauteng-based businessman.

“Using a profile picture and personal details resembling those of Lieutenant General Lebeya, the suspect deceived the victim,” Mbambo said. “It is alleged that the suspect claimed the mobile phone had been hacked and, under the pretext of assisting with a security breach, requested the victim’s personal information.”

According to The Citizen, once the scammer had enough details, he then contacted a business associate of the victim and threatened to release their information unless payments were made.

The associate, fearing exposure, made multiple transfers that added up to more than R100,000.

The suspect was arrested in Petrus Steyn in the Free State on 6 May and is now facing charges of fraud and impersonating a police officer.

Lieutenant General Lebeya has since urged the public to remain vigilant and report similar scams. He stressed that police officers are not authorised to demand or receive money in exchange for services.

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Sourced:African Insider

Picture: KayaNews/X