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Beware of tricksters- Police warns

Police have warned the public of tricksters who are swindling money from unsuspected individuals promising them some favours in return.

National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera made the remarks amid reports of conmen who have swindled unspecified sums of money from prospective students of the Malawi College of Health Sciences.

National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera

Kadadzera expressed worry over increased cases of people complaining to have been duped and has since advised the public to always ensure they follow lawful procedures particularly when making deals that involve money.

According to Kadadzera, apart from cases involving college registration, there are also cases of people being tricked into paying money to redeem prizes they allegedly won in some competitions.

 

“The rate at which people are being careless with their money is worrisome and there is really need for civic education.

Imagine, how can one pay someone money to redeem a prize for a competition he/she never entered? People need to be careful,” he said.

Kadadzera also warned the nation to make sure they verify information from social media before giving out money to anyone for favours.

He further warned perpetrators of such malpractices that police are on high alert and assured the nation that all culprits will be brought to book.

According to a notice spotted at one of the Malawi College of Health Sciences campus, some unscrupulous individuals are flying a fake advertisement on social media for entrance examinations at the college.

It says despite the college’s earlier notice of June 12, 2017 distancing itself from such fake advertisements, the college continues to receive communication from prospective candidates responding to the bogus advertisement.

Reads the notice: “Members of the public are, once more, advised to ignore the advertisement on social media because Malawi College of Health Sciences has not yet advertised for its Entrance Examinations.

The College will advertise by the end of August 2017 through newspapers, its website and Campus Notice Boards.”

Commenting on the matter last week, Malawi College of Health Sciences Executive Director Tannach Masache said they were surprised to see a number of prospective students flocking to its campuses alleging that they had been called to the campus to sit for entrance examinations scheduled for 16 August 2017 after paying K8 000.

“Indeed the account they are using is ours. They took an advert from our website for last year and just changed the date. However, we do not know who these people are, what their motive is and how they are benefiting. We have left the matter with police to investigate,” he said.

Masache said for its part, the college has assured all victims to keep their receipts so that the college considers them at the appropriate time.

In 2015, a team of students from Catholic University swindled the university K15 million by presenting forged bank deposit slips as evidence of payment for tuition fees.

In the same year, management of Malawi Adventist University (MAU) warned the public against dealing with agents to secure places at Malamulo College of Health Sciences in Makwasa, Thyolo saying the institution does not have agents.

In May this year, police in Lilongwe arrested six people on suspicion of duping and stealing K340 000 from African Bible College students as deposit for them to secure loans for their school fees.

 

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