According to investigators, the man has allegedly defrauded more than 100 South Africans.
Shanice Naidoo
THE long arm of the law has finally caught up with alleged fraudster, Grant Nelson.
Nelson was arrested in Johannesburg following a track and trace, led by Royal Investigations and their counterparts, IRS Forensics (private investigators) and Gauteng SAPS.
“We traced Grant to Mall of Africa in Midrand where the take-down took place at 8.30am. Grant Nelson again provided a false name to the arresting officer. We expected the suspect to try and evade arrest, we knew Mr Nelson would not be truthful, and we came prepared.
“Nelson missed his court appearance on September 11, where he was scheduled to appear in a separate case,” said head investigator from Royal Investigations, John Alexander.
According to investigators, Nelson has allegedly defrauded more than 100 South Africans.
He allegedly advertised non-existent products such as dinner, bedroom and bathroom sets, blankets and carpets, online. He lifted the pictures from the internet.
Nelson was arrested in October last year and released on bail after appearing in connection with 15 counts of fraud and forgery in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court.
“Currently, he just continues the fraud, again advertising the same products on a different Facebook site called Infamiss,” said Alexander.
As soon as victims from across South Africa pay, Nelson allegedly disappears and never delivers. Nelson has since changed his Facebook profile picture to that of a woman, but kept the same face.
Annemarie Viviers was one of the lucky ones who managed to get a refund from Nelson after opening a case against him in June.
“I ordered sugar, coffee and tea marble canisters, with six coffee mugs, for R530 on May 19. I asked him for the way bill number as he said he already sent the parcel to me, but I didn’t receive it. And then, after I couldn’t get hold off him, I saw the Facebook page that was created saying his page is a scam,” said Viviers.
Nelson also allegedly scammed a Potchefstroom woman out of R24 000, a Sea Point woman lost R7 000, a Polokwane woman who lost R16 000 and an Amanzimtoti woman who was conned out of R30 000 she thought was for bedding.
