Legal and Constitutional Affairs Ministry warns public against motor vehicle scam
Published:Tuesday | October 10, 2023 | 10:50 AM
Scammers posing as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs Wayne Robertson have swindled members of the public in a motor vehicle scam.
Millions have reportedly been fleeced.
The Ministry says it has received numerous reports of scammers purporting to be Robertson selling motor vehicles to members of the public.
In a statement today, Robertson described the scam as very unnerving and strongly condemned the unscrupulous activity.
“These scammers are calling persons, using my name and offering vehicles for sale, on behalf of the Ministry. They have gone as far as affixing the Ministry's logo, the National Flag and the Road to Republic's mandate – to transform Jamaica from a Constitutional Monarchy to a Republic – to their WhatsApp statuses, giving the impression that there is legitimate affiliation,” he said.
The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and the Jamaica Customs Agency (specifically, the Minister and Commissioner) are also mentioned to underscore the legitimacy of these fraudulent transactions.
According to Robertson, he has spoken to three persons who were fleeced of $10 million, $4 million and $800,000 respectively.
“The most recent case involves a lady who came to my office last Friday, (Oct 6) because she had received a voicenote from the individual purporting to be me, requesting a down payment of $800,000, which she subsequently made. Luckily, she knows a colleague of mine and when she shared the voicenote, he was able to confirm that the voice was not mine,” he said.
The Ministry said there are multiple phone numbers currently being used by the scammers to contact individuals.
The public is being asked to remain vigilant and be on the lookout for phone calls and WhatsApp messages from the following numbers, none of which belongs to Robertson or anyone employed to the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs: 876-538-6793, 876-225-2306 and 876-359-5558.
Additionally, persons who are in receipt of any such calls or WhatsApp messages are being asked to contact the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) at 888-662-2847, 876-906-5848, or 1-1-9, or the nearest police station.
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