A 49-year-old man from Nzameya is counting his losses after being swindled out of E25,700 by a scammer posing as a traditional healer on social media.
The victim reported the matter to Big Bend Police on April 20, revealing that the fraud took place between March and April 2026 while he was grieving the loss of his wife.
According to police, the scammer approached the man on a social media platform and took advantage of his grief, claiming to be a traditional healer who knew of a lump sum of money left behind by his late wife. The scammer told the victim he could help retrieve the money through traditional medicine. 
The victim was first asked to pay E5,000 towards cleansing the spirits allegedly blocking the money. From there, the demands kept coming, with the scammer continuously asking for more money until the total reached E25,700.
To keep the victim from pulling out, the scammer allegedly warned him that if he stopped the ritual process, one of his children would be at risk of dying.
Big Bend Police have since launched an investigation into the theft by false pretence case and say they are pursuing positive leads.
The Royal Eswatini Police Service is urging emaSwati to remain alert and vigilant when dealing with matters involving money or people they have met online. “It is important to always verify or do research before committing money in such dealings,” police said.
