A Bolt driver has fallen victim to an identity theft syndicate after his ID card photo was used by Facebook Marketplace scammers to dupe unsuspecting online pawners. 

Musawenkosi Xulu found out last week that his images and his ID had been circulated on social media after a woman from Vosloorus, on the East Rand, was scammed when she sold a stove on Facebook Marketplace.  

The buyer had used a fake proof of payment together with Xulu’s photos to convince the woman that he was a legitimate customer who wanted to purchase the R7,000 stove.

But the woman found out later, after the stove was “sold” that she had been a victim of a scam. 

The Twitter post on the scam led to a barrage of other victims who also sold items such as cellphones and computer printers to the same scammer who used Xulu’s identity to win over their victims’ trust. 

On Friday, Sowetan Consumer traced Xulu to Soweto, where he had been working between transporting children to school and as a Bolt driver. 

“My brother, this week has been a terrible for me and my family. I’m still angry and confused,” he said.

“I learnt about this whole thing on Monday when my nephew showed me my pictures on Twitter. He said someone had alleged that I scammed them of their stove. The pictures on Twitter were indeed of me. Even the crack that runs from the top of my ID confirmed that to me.”