The victim,
Precious Mabuza, who operates in the chrome industry, told reporters that she
was contacted by individuals who introduced themselves as high-profile KMH
officials seeking a partnership on mineral projects along the Great Dyke.
"I
received a message from individuals pretending to be executives from Kuvimba
Mining House," she said. "They claimed they were looking to
collaborate with me on a report mandated by the Minister of Mines regarding
chrome on the Great Dyke."
She said the
proposal appeared credible, especially given the company's standing in the
mining sector, leading her to engage her team and enter negotiations. The
scammers reportedly projected authority, professionalism and influence,
presenting the deal as a lucrative and state-sanctioned opportunity.
As trust grew,
the fraudsters allegedly convinced Mabuza to make a "routine business
payment" to facilitate chrome deliveries. Believing the transaction to be
genuine and aligned with her usual trade operations, she transferred US$500,000
to a South African account provided by the suspects.
"Since
this is part of my regular business dealings, I didn't think twice," she
said.
It was only
after the payment was made that communication ceased. Calls were ignored,
messages went unanswered, and Mabuza realised she had been deceived.
"I tried
to call them, but they didn't answer. That's when I started to suspect
something was off," she said.
In an effort to
prolong the deception, the scammers allegedly sent AI-generated voice messages
to simulate continued engagement. Mabuza has since forwarded the audio files to
authorities as part of an ongoing investigation.
Kuvimba Mining
House has distanced itself from the incident, issuing a public warning against
fraudulent individuals exploiting its corporate identity.
"Certain
unscrupulous individuals may attempt to mimic or impersonate company executives
in negotiating non-existent transactions purportedly on behalf of Kuvimba
Mining House. Such actions are fraudulent, illegal, and not sanctioned by our
company in any form," the company said in a statement.
KMH stressed
that official dealings are conducted strictly through verified communication
platforms and formal corporate procedures, adding that it would not be liable
for transactions done outside those channels.
Law enforcement
authorities are now handling the matter as investigations continue. Standard
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