Radio icon Thuso Motaung is hopping mad after his name was used to con unsuspecting fans. The LesediFM presenter, who is not on Facebook, told Sowetan that a fraudster known only as Nkhatho has been duping people into paying money in exchange for jobs and tenders, using a Facebook account in Motaung’s name.

“I only found out about this on Thursday when people started asking me about these jobs I’ve been promising people,” he said.

“This is very shocking. These people have also been selling sheep and horses because they know that people in Lesotho love horses. They’ve demanded up to R20 000 and they asked that you send the money via e-wallet because they don’t want to use any bank accounts.”

Motaung said the fraudsters used LesediFM’s calendar with his photograph as a profile picture on Facebook. “Sometime last year they called Zola Majavu (his lawyer) saying I’m in hospital and needed money. They always change the numbers they use to contact people,” Motaung said.

Majavu confirmed to Sowetan that he sent the money last year.

“Yes it’s true, I paid R4 500 through money transfer at a Spar,” he said.

One person who was on the brink of sending the money was Roni Ramanamane, a businessman from Harrismith in Free State.

A fan of Motaung’s Sunday show, “Makgulong a Matala” and the midweek “Jwale ke Nako”, Ramanamane saw the radio personality’s name on Facebook and innocently decided to send a friend request.

“The request was accepted shortly and I sent a message thanking Thuso for accepting.”

The fake Motaung contacted Ramanamane and offered to link him with someone who helps start-up businesses, he said.

“The fake Thuso then came into the picture again saying this Nkhatho will assist me, but then he needs ‘cold drink’ (a bribe) of R20 000, saying I could send R5 000 to him via e-wallet. He said he would assist the business with a six-tonne truck and R500 000,” Ramanamane said.

Ramanamane’s suspicions was his saving grace and he didn’t comply. He visited Motaung in studio yesterday to shed light on the matter.

“Please help expose these people, they are ruining my name,” Motaung pleaded.

The rise of fraudulent social media accounts has not only affected LesediFM personality Thuso Motaung, but a number of known South Africans.

Other victims of this Internet crime are Skeem Saam’s Mlungisi Mathe and Natasha Thahane, who have over 15 fake Facebook accounts in their names that they don’t have anything to do with.

National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete’s name was also used on social media last year while she was not on any platform. KwaZulu-Natal premier Senzo Mchunu also warned people of fake social media accounts in his name earlier this month.

Lawyer Zola Majavu also had a person use his name to make a quick buck, saying that they were Majavu.

“I was not aware of this until last month. It happened in the Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom areas.” – Bonginkosi Tiwane/Sowetan.

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