When one thinks of scams, usually the very last thing that comes to mind is that the people behind a scam could possibly be law enforcement officials. But sadly, as time has progressed and people have come to accept the fact that traffic fines are a fact of life which they can do little or nothing about, so too have come along outright scams being perpetrated by traffic authorities, their contractors, process servers and a host of other money-hungry entities.
The fact that ordinary people suffer is of no consequence to them, so long as they are raking in the big bucks. On this page, you will find these scams as and when we become aware of them.
| Start Date | Status/End Date | Scam Name | Perpetrator | Details |
| 2011/12/06 | Current/None | Outstanding fines and warrants BEWARE! BEWARE! |
CONMEN | On 6 December 2011 at 10:45am I had just missed a call on my landline - then the same number called my cell phone. I answered, and the man said it was a matter of extreme urgency: there is a warrant for arrest, apparently due to unpaid traffic fines - but I was to call him back on 072 638 0135. I did. The W/O said that there were fines due to the tune of R2800, overdue traffic fines. He added that I would be arrested tomorrow morning and appear in court (where, remains a mystery). I asked for details saying "how do I solve this?" He asked if I didn't get the fine notices (quoting my correct postal address) - I said no. He asked if I am (me) but had the spelling of my *professional* name wrong, replacing the "v" with an "f". He said I should speak now if I wanted the fines reduced.... When I asked for a reference number, he couldn't give me one. Instead, he asked me what cars I drive, and who else drove them - In reply I askied for the registration numbers of the car(s) in question. He couldn't answer me, and kept trying to get details from me. When I asked W/O for his details, he mumbled really well, and it sounded like W/O Terrible, and when I asked him to please spell that, he said I should stop harassing HIM..... eventually the spelling seemed to be PERUMEL, W/O number 701 999 2/3. Now he said to solve the problem I had to get to a Checkers ASAP - I said OK, I can be there in an hour, I'm in a meeting. But he could and would not supply me with details of anything - case number or car registrations. I was to call him from the said Checkers. Meantime, thankfully, my cousin was here, and she and my neighbor and a good friend advised me to stop worrying. We went onto www.viewfines.co.za and www.payfines.co.za. No outstanding fines or warrants for my arrest. Being tired, busy etc, I had not immediately registered that my cars are registered in my legal name.... as to my last fine ....... gee, the way I drive they should pay me! (or maybe not - too slow!!! except in the 18i) At 12:06 W/O called again on the land line - this time his number didn't show on my Identicall... "where are you?" I replied that I was parked in, and could not get to Checkers, he called me "my Dear" - rather inappropriate for a W/O methinks... anyway, he was not happy. And I din't give him my e-mail addy, as requested... And I didn't go to Checkers. W/O Perumel didn't have my legal surname, home address (he tried to get it - but I said post isn't delivered here), none of the car registrations of my own cars or the cars that live here or were rented.” |
| 2010/04/01 | Current/None | 3X fines for juristic persons | JMPD | Since 1 April 2010 all fines issued to juristic persons by the JMPD have had their financial penalties tripled whilst those issued by the TMPD are not tripled. These infringement notices are sub judice insofar as the tripling goes but if served after 2010/06/01 are invalid and un prosecutable if they fit scam 003 criteria. |
| 2010/04/01 | Current/None | 3 X fines for foreign driving licence holders | JMPD | Since 1 April 2010 all fines issued to holders of foreign driving licences by the JMPD have had their financial penalties tripled whilst there is no provision in the Act or Regulations for this to happen. These infringement notices are invalid and un prosecutable. |
| 2010/06/01 | Current/None | Standard Permit Mail (02-4024) | JMPD | Since 1 June 2010 all infringement notices starting with 02-4024 issued by the JMPD have been unlawfully served in violation of Section 30 of the AARTO Amendment Act of 1999 which states that all documents required to be served in terms of this Act must be served in person or via registered mail to the last known address of the alleged infringer. Insofar as the JMPD have been posting such infringement notices using standard permit mail, these infringement notices are invalid and un prosecutable. |
| 2010/08/01 | Resolved/ 2010/08/20 |
Standard Permit Mail (02-4046) | TMPD/RTMC | During August 2010 infringement notices issued by the TMPD/RTMC AARTO unit were unlawfully served in violation of Section 30 of the AARTO Amendment Act of 1999 which states that all documents required to be served in terms of this Act must be served in person or via registered mail to the last known address of the alleged infringer. Insofar as the TMPD/RTMC were posting such infringement notices using standard permit mail, these infringement notices are invalid and un prosecutable. This matter is resolved. |
| 2009/03/01 | 2009/06/10 | Illegal trapping on N1 | JMPD | During the months of March to June 2009, the JMPD set up speed traps at the N1 North and South at Rand Show Road Bridge where they were authorised to trap vehicles exceeding the speed limit of 120km/h. Instead of being honest and stating that the site was Rand Show Road Bridge, they instead said it was the Diepkloof Interchange where the speed limit was a much lower 80km/h. This led to tens of thousands of fines being issued to motorists who were in fact driving within the speed limit. A criminal charge of fraud was laid against the JMPD with the Hawks by JPSA National Chairman, Howard Dembovsky in February 2011 and since then several other dockets have been opened for the same charge by other motorists. |
This page was last updated on Sunday 11 December, 2011