An imposter has been on the loose for weeks impersonating the country’s top anti-corruption boss, brazenly using his name and photo to extract sensitive information on a live court case – forcing the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) to issue an emergency public warning.
The alleged fraudster has been posing as Acting Investigating Director Advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara, contacting unsuspecting members of the public and soliciting “critical information” under false pretences, potentially compromising a matter that is currently before court.
IDAC only became aware of the elaborate scam after law enforcement officers flagged the fake number to Adv Vanara himself.
“The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) warns members of the public against an imposter pretending to be the Acting Investigating Director of IDAC, Adv Ntuthuzelo Vanara, by using his name and image to solicit critical information to the detriment of unsuspecting members of the public,” IDAC spokesperson Henry Mamothame said in a statement on Saturday.
“It was however established that the number being used doesn’t belong to the Acting ID.”
According to the directorate, the con artist is not just making random calls – he is deliberately targeting people linked to an active case, raising fears that witnesses could be intimidated, evidence tampered with, or investigations derailed.
“The information on the imposter’s conduct was brought to the attention of the Acting ID by law enforcement officers, on the basis of which the matter will be referred to the police for investigations to unfold,” Mamothame said.
IDAC has now referred the matter to SAPS for urgent investigation, but concerns remain about how long the imposter has been operating undetected and how many people have already fallen victim.
“Members of the public are urged to be vigilant and not to fall victims of criminality by the imposter,” the directorate warned.
“The IDAC strongly condemns the perpetrator(s) of such conduct.”
The breach is a major embarrassment for the IDAC, which is in the middle of a high-stakes turnaround strategy dubbed the IDAC Reset Project, aimed at restoring public trust after years of criticism over its failure to prosecute state capture kingpins.
“The Acting ID remains focused and committed to the IDAC Reset Project aimed at reforming the IDAC for it to be an entity that is trusted by the public as it continues to discharge its mandate of fighting corruption,” Mamothame said.
The scam mirrors a worrying pattern where criminals impersonate senior Hawks, NPA and judicial officials to extort or extract intelligence from witnesses and families of accused persons.
IDAC has stressed that Adv Vanara and his team will never ask for confidential information via WhatsApp, private calls or social media, and all official contact is done through verified government channels.
Anyone who has been contacted by the fake Vanara account or who may have shared information has been urged to immediately report to their nearest police station.
