Some scammer is pretending to be a diplomat to fleece people out of cash. Zimbabwe's Foreign Affairs ministry warned about a fraudster impersonating David Hamadziripi, the former ambassador to South Africa. The imposter uses a South African WhatsApp number, falsely claims distress, and solicits urgent financial assistance from victims, including high-profile individuals.
Ministry spokesperson Philisiwe Chidawanyika confirmed the ambassador is actually stationed in the United States and is safe. She clarified that he no longer uses phone numbers with the South African country code. The public was advised to exercise extreme caution with digital requests for money from supposed officials.
Verification through official channels is strongly recommended. The ministry stated that any communication should be confirmed with its directorate for public diplomacy. Authorities are engaged to curb these fraudulent activities exploiting the name of diplomatic offices.
Ministry spokesperson Philisiwe Chidawanyika confirmed the ambassador is actually stationed in the United States and is safe. She clarified that he no longer uses phone numbers with the South African country code. The public was advised to exercise extreme caution with digital requests for money from supposed officials.
Verification through official channels is strongly recommended. The ministry stated that any communication should be confirmed with its directorate for public diplomacy. Authorities are engaged to curb these fraudulent activities exploiting the name of diplomatic offices.
