Confiscated speed point device linked to major scam ring
Claims of operations spearheaded from within police holding cells
A speed point machine confiscated by police intelligence in July has been linked to one of Namibia’s most sophisticated financial scams, with insiders warning that syndicate members continue to operate despite arrests and transfers between police holding cells.
The device, allegedly valued at over N$1 million, was intercepted in Windhoek before reaching Rundu, where it was allegedly meant to bolster illegal operations inside the town’s police holding cells.
Kavango East police Deputy Commissioner Eino Nambahu confirmed the seizure to Namibian Sun but said no official report had been released “due to the seriousness of the situation.”
Sources claim the machine was destined for a shopfront, where it would capture customer card details for fraudulent use. Believed to have been smuggled from South Africa’s black market, such machines are placed in retail outlets or hotels and used to harvest card credentials later sold for unauthorised transactions.
“The plan was to move operations to Rundu, where detainees had already set up a system of scamming from inside holding cells,” a source said, adding that the machine had already been tested in Windhoek.
Fraud from custody
In July, reports revealed that the Rundu police station holding cells had become the centre of a scam ring described as one of Namibia’s biggest. Regional commander Andreas Haingura confirmed at the time that officers confiscated cellphones and laptops used by detainees to run fraudulent transactions.
Corrupt officers allegedly aid the scheme by smuggling in devices and information. Victims have reported losing entire salaries – from N$3 000 to over N$100 000 – in a single day.
Wider web
The confiscated speed point is reportedly just one part of a broader scam network.
Syndicate members allegedly tamper with point-of-sale devices to steal loyalty and rewards points, often draining funds before victims even notice.
“These gaps create what we call ‘ghost scammers’, who operate undetected for long stretches,” a source explained.
The network is also linked to organised crime. Sources tied suspects in the scam to a N$50-million drug bust at Eendrag, Hochfeld, earlier this year, alleging that the same individuals are involved in fraud, drug distribution and even firearms.
Near miss in Rundu
Just this week, a Rundu woman narrowly avoided being defrauded after receiving a call from a man posing as a senior police officer. He demanded personal information under the pretext of assisting her relative. She grew suspicious and reported the attempt before losing money.
Namibian Police Deputy Commissioner Bonifasius Kanyetu could not be reached to confirm whether the incident was officially recorded.
Reports in July also claimed that detainees had access to social media, drugs and girlfriends, allegedly with the help of rogue officers.
Some suspects reportedly committed petty crimes deliberately to return to custody, where they felt safer running scams.
Whistleblowers also flagged IT weaknesses at commercial banks in Namibia, claiming that, at some in particular, it is easier to raise withdrawal limits.
Nambahu confirmed that investigations are continuing. The seized speed point machine is now central to the probe, which links financial fraud inside Rundu’s holding cells to South Africa’s black market – and possibly to Namibia’s drug trade.
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The device, allegedly valued at over N$1 million, was intercepted in Windhoek before reaching Rundu, where it was allegedly meant to bolster illegal operations inside the town’s police holding cells.
Kavango East police Deputy Commissioner Eino Nambahu confirmed the seizure to Namibian Sun but said no official report had been released “due to the seriousness of the situation.”
Sources claim the machine was destined for a shopfront, where it would capture customer card details for fraudulent use. Believed to have been smuggled from South Africa’s black market, such machines are placed in retail outlets or hotels and used to harvest card credentials later sold for unauthorised transactions.
“The plan was to move operations to Rundu, where detainees had already set up a system of scamming from inside holding cells,” a source said, adding that the machine had already been tested in Windhoek.
Fraud from custody
In July, reports revealed that the Rundu police station holding cells had become the centre of a scam ring described as one of Namibia’s biggest. Regional commander Andreas Haingura confirmed at the time that officers confiscated cellphones and laptops used by detainees to run fraudulent transactions.
Corrupt officers allegedly aid the scheme by smuggling in devices and information. Victims have reported losing entire salaries – from N$3 000 to over N$100 000 – in a single day.
Wider web
The confiscated speed point is reportedly just one part of a broader scam network.
Syndicate members allegedly tamper with point-of-sale devices to steal loyalty and rewards points, often draining funds before victims even notice.
“These gaps create what we call ‘ghost scammers’, who operate undetected for long stretches,” a source explained.
The network is also linked to organised crime. Sources tied suspects in the scam to a N$50-million drug bust at Eendrag, Hochfeld, earlier this year, alleging that the same individuals are involved in fraud, drug distribution and even firearms.
Near miss in Rundu
Just this week, a Rundu woman narrowly avoided being defrauded after receiving a call from a man posing as a senior police officer. He demanded personal information under the pretext of assisting her relative. She grew suspicious and reported the attempt before losing money.
Namibian Police Deputy Commissioner Bonifasius Kanyetu could not be reached to confirm whether the incident was officially recorded.
Reports in July also claimed that detainees had access to social media, drugs and girlfriends, allegedly with the help of rogue officers.
Some suspects reportedly committed petty crimes deliberately to return to custody, where they felt safer running scams.
Whistleblowers also flagged IT weaknesses at commercial banks in Namibia, claiming that, at some in particular, it is easier to raise withdrawal limits.
Nambahu confirmed that investigations are continuing. The seized speed point machine is now central to the probe, which links financial fraud inside Rundu’s holding cells to South Africa’s black market – and possibly to Namibia’s drug trade.
[email protected]
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