The Circle of Truth

How to solve Frauds and Cybercrimes:

https://bookoflaws.weebly.com/

Here are the first two chapters of my Crime novel.

Hearing of the Crime

Mthulisi Hadebe stepped into the dimly lit office, the fluorescent lights flickering weakly above him. It was another quiet morning at the Fraud Investigation Unit, a small office of the National Crime Office in Central Johannesburg.

It was a far cry from the adrenaline-packed excitement one might expect in a crime-fighting office. The faint hum of the overhead fans and the rustle of paper were the only sounds that filled the air. The dim overhead lights blended with the distant chatter of employees.

It was late September, the air outside thick with the first whispers of Spring. Mthulisi's office was modest, cluttered with case files, half-empty coffee cups, and the faint scent of burnt toast from the small kitchenette in the corner.

Mthulisi sat at his cluttered desk, dropping his bag onto the floor beside him. Photographs of suspects and piles of case files lay strewn about like fallen leaves, but today, nothing seemed to catch his focus. Mthulisi usually thrived on riddles—unravelling the deceptions of white-collar criminals brought him a thrill, but this mundane morning felt more like a yawn than a challenge.

Mthulisi had dedicated his life to uncovering the shadows of fraud, but nothing could prepare him for the chilling phone call he would receive this fateful morning.

As Mthulisi booted up his computer, the screen blinked to life, revealing some unopened emails from his coworkers about the upcoming team meeting, his favourite online store with a discount code, and the latest newsletter from his hobby forum. He quickly clicked through each one, eager to catch up on the latest news and updates.

Just as Mthulisi was settling into his usual morning routine, his phone rang. 

“Detective Hadebe?” a shaky voice on the other end breathed, breaking through the monotonous hum of the fluorescent lights.

It was the secretary, Eva, who seemed panicked.

“Speaking,” he replied, curious about the urgency that tinged her voice.

“It’s about a crime,” Eva continued, her tone twisting with panic. “There’s been… something terrible.”
He leaned forward, his heart thumping. “What do you mean? What happened?”

Eva replied "It's just been reported to me that a man has had all his money stolen, something like two million rand. An investment scam I think."

"What?" Mthulisi asked, "Did they give his name?"

Eva replied "I've got it written down here. Mbekezeli and Thembekile Chibi. They live at 41 Maplewood Drive, East Geduld, Springs. The case has been referred to us by the local police department."

"I'll go there." Mthulisi replied.

As he hung up, Mthulisi felt an urgency he had rarely experienced in his career. He grabbed his jacket and keys, a heavy knot forming in his stomach.

Before he knew it, what had begun as another dull day had transformed into a pulse-pounding hunt. Mthulisi smiled, the bait of a challenge reinvigorating his spirit. As he stepped out, the thrill of his quest beckoned him—a reminder that crime, much like fraud, never truly sleeps.

A chase was on now to find the perpetrator and recover the money.

Mthulisi's mind raced as he clutched the phone he had just put down. The crime he had just heard about would claw at the edges of anyone's sanity.

“Mthulisi!” his colleague, Thandi Nkosi, called from across the room, pulling him from his thoughts. “What’s got you looking like you’ve seen a ghost?”

“It’s worse than that,” Mthulisi replied, a shiver creeping down his spine. He stood up, drawing the attention of several other investigators. “I just received a call about a crime… and not just any crime.”

“What do you mean?” Thandi asked, her brow furrowing.

“A man has had two million rand stolan." Mthulisi replied.

“What?” Thandi gasped, her hands instinctively moving to the edge of her desk. "How? What happened?"

“The call didn’t say.” Mthulisi said, tightening his grip on the desk as he felt his heart race. “But we can’t ignore it. We need to investigate.”

“Where do we even start?” Thandi asked, her voice barely above a whisper, daunted by the thought of traipsing into the darkness of such a malign world.

“We start where every investigation begins—by listening,” Mthulisi replied, determination igniting in his eyes. “I'm going to visit the victim at his home."

As his colleagues looked at him, a mixture of fear and resolve gripped the air. The urgency of the task hung around them like a shroud. Mthulisi straightened his back, resolved. He may not know the depths of the crime he was about to unravel, but he did know one thing—he was not going to let darkness spread unchallenged.

With that, he waved farewell, already formulating a plan. In that shabby little office, the chains of complacency were shattered, leading everyone headlong into the dark underbelly of the criminal world, one they never wanted to explore, but now could no longer ignore.

Mthulisi Hadebe, in his 40s and sharp-dressed, drove through the bustling streets of Johannesburg. He's on his way to visit the victim of a horrific crime. As the sleek black sedan glided through the bustling city streets, the seasoned fraud investigator focused intently on the road ahead. His mind raced with the enormity of the intricate crime he was investigating: the brazen theft of two million rand from a good citizen.

"Another day, another nasty fraud." Mthulisi thought to himself.  He pulled up to a traffic light and looked at the time on his watch. It was now midday. "Running late." he thinks, feeling frustrated by the traffic that was delaying his important appointment. The light turned green and he accelerated.

Mthulisi couldn't stop thinking about the crime "Two million rand stolen. That's a lot of money." he pondered to himself as shuddered to think of the devastation caused to the victim and his family.

As he approached the victim's residence, Mthulisi's gaze sharpened. The sprawling estate, nestled amidst manicured lawns and towering trees, exuded an air of wealth and exclusivity. With a deep breath, he pulled up to the humble entrance and prepared to confront the aftermath of a crime that had devastated a family.


Meeting with the Victim

Mthulisi arrived at the victim's home. It was on an unassuming residential road, nestled amidst the humdrum of suburban life.

The air was heavy with the scent of earth and foliage, punctuated by the occasional chirp of a bird or the rustle of leaves as they bow to the whims of the wind. This is Maplewood Drive, a seemingly ordinary street in an ordinary town.

Mthulisi pulled up to the victim's house in his car, a sense of purpose driving him as he turned off the engine and stepped outside into to cool breeze. "Time to get to work," he thought to himself, mentally preparing for the task that lay ahead. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he inhaled deeply, drawing in the fresh air while his mind began to focus on the challenges he would soon face. With measured steps, he approached the home, allowing his eyes to gradually adjust to the dim light that spilled from the windows. 

Upon reaching the front door, he was met by the victim's wife, whose face conveyed a poignant mix of emotions—pale, drawn, and marked by the toll of shock and exhaustion. Despite her evident distress, she managed to muster the strength to invite him inside, her voice trembling slightly as she gestured for him to enter. Mthulisi cautiously made his way into the house, his keen eyes darting around the room as he began to take stock of his surroundings. The interior of the home appeared to be in a noticeable state of disarray; signs of panic and disbelief were palpable, as ordinary routines and chores had been sidelined in the wake of recent events.

In the midst of the tense atmosphere, the victim’s wife called out the name “Mebe,” her voice carrying a hint of desperation. Mthulisi heard the sound of footsteps resonating on the floor above, a sign that someone else was at home. Moments later, a middle-aged man emerged from the upper level, his expression marked by distress and trauma, reflecting the turmoil that had enveloped the family during this trying time.

The man was not just distraught, he was utterly shattered. His eyes were red and puffy, his skin pale and clammy. He descended the stairs slowly, as if every step were a struggle against an unseen force, and collapsed onto the worn-out sofa. It creaked under his weight, protesting his presence as if it, too, were weary of his burdens. He buried his face in his hands, unable to even look around the room that had once been a sanctuary, a haven of peace and comfort. But now it felt like a tomb, a place where hopes and dreams went to die.

Mthulisi sat across from him, eyes narrowed in concentration. He studied the way the man seemed to be shaking, He looked like a frightened shell of his former self, trapped in a cage much too small. His name was Mbekezeli, and he was a victim of fraud. It wasn't the first time he had been in contact with the police, but this time it was the worst. The scammers had taken everything.

The victim began to recount his story, introducing himself with a sense of resignation and vulnerability. "My name is Mbekezeli," he said, his voice steady yet tinged with the weight of his experiences. “I am a 58-year-old man who, until recently, lived a simple and unassuming life here in Springs. I worked as a mechanic at the local car dealership, a job that paid the bills but offered little in the way of excitement or glamour. My interests were simple: I enjoyed spending time with my wife and two children, tinkering with old cars, and playing video games in my spare time."

"Like many people my age, I had been hearing stories about people making fortunes through cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. At first, I dismissed it as a fad, but as more and more people seemed to be getting rich off of it, I began to wonder if I was missing out on something. This curiosity led me down a dangerous path."

"One day, whilst browsing a cryptocurrency forum, I stumbled upon an enticing post about a trading opportunity that was seemed to be delivering rapid returns. The post was written by someone with the username "BitcoinBillionaire," and it promised guaranteed returns of 500% within just a few weeks. Desperate to make my dreams a reality, I invested some money into this supposed goldmine."

As Mthulisi sat across from him, diligently taking down notes, the gravity of Mbekezeli's words hung in the air. It was a cautionary tale that underscored the dangers of unchecked ambition and the seductive nature of quick wealth, a reminder that sometimes, the pursuit of dreams can lead us into the darkest of places.

Mbekezeli continued to describe the elaborate scam he had fallen victim to, detailing the deceptive tactics employed by the perpetrators. "They used a website called TurboDP.com," he explained, his voice tinged with frustration and disbelief. "I set up an account with them and made some deposits.”

Mthulisi nodded, his interest piqued. "Could you show me the website?" he requested calmly. He knew that seeing it for himself could provide crucial evidence for his investigation.

Mbekezeli's expression tightened as he pulled out his laptop, the cold light of the screen casting a stark contrast against the furrowed lines of his face. His fingers trembled slightly as he typed the URL into the browser, his cursor hovering for a brief moment before hitting 'enter'.

The page loaded. Mthulisi was struck by how authentic it appeared. It would be easy to mistake it for a legitimate investment platform. The site was professionally designed, complete with polished graphics, user-friendly navigation, and testimonials that seemed credible at first glance.

Mbekezeli vividly recounted his encounter with TurboDP, explaining “A 'broker' was then assigned to manage my account. He introduced himself as 'Eric'. He was persuasive. He seemed to know a lot about investing. It would be easy to think he was genuine.”

"I decided to invest a substantial portion of my life savings - money I had carefully saved over the years for a rainy day and for my children's university fund - into this cryptocurrency trading platform. I had done my research, or so I thought, and believed I had found a legitimate and reputable exchange. Little did I know that I was about to become the victim of a sophisticated scam."

Mbekezeli had tears on his face. Mthulisi comforted him, saying “I know this must be difficult for you.”

Mbekezeli continued to detail his harrowing experience, "Over the course of the next several weeks, my investment seemed to grow exponentially, doubling and then tripling in value. I became obsessed with monitoring the market, checking my portfolio every hour, every day. I couldn't wait to withdraw my profits and finally achieve financial security for my family."

"It was then that disaster struck."

"My 'broker' Eric told me he needed more money from me, equivalent to 10% of my balance, to get my money out."

"Not knowing what to do and not wanting to entertain the thought it could all be a scam, I paid the money."

"But then I kept getting text messages asking for more money. I was confused and agreed to hand over more money and eventually lost more than R2,500,000 in life savings."

Mbekezeli wept as he continued to recount his story, "Then my account was just closed. They didn't give me a reason. I immediately contacted their customer support, but got no response."

"I then checked the forum for updates from BitcoinBillionaire. But suddenly, all communication stopped. The forum went dark, and BitcoinBillionaire disappeared without a trace. It was then I realised I had been scammed. I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I had trusted the wrong person and lost everything."

"I spent the next few days in a daze, unable to process what had happened. I couldn't bring himself to tell my friends and family about my loss. I felt ashamed and foolish."

"Months went by, and still I heard nothing from TurboDP or BitcoinBillionaire."

There was a moment or two of silence before Mbekezeli burst into tears. "We lost our life savings in the scam." he bellowed.

"I had planned to use the money to buy a mortgage-free bungalow for me and and my wife to live out the rest of our days."

“My wife had launched a small catering business, and our ten-year-old daughter had dreams of becoming an artist.”

Mbekezeli glanced upward, his face reflecting a blend of fury and hopelessness.

"I was happy," he said softly. "I thought I had everything I needed."

"Now it's all been ruined," he said. "We've lost our lifestyle and our plans."

"The money was for our retirement and any future healthcare we needed. I have no means to recoup the money I've lost as I'm close to retirement."

Mthulisi nodded, understanding the depth of the victim's loss.

Mthulisi reached into his bag and pulled out a box of tissues. He handed them to the victim silently, watching as he took a few moments to compose himself. Mthulisi could see the anger starting to build behind his eyes, and knew he would need an outlet for it.

"You know, Mbekezeli," he said gently, "it's not your fault. You were the victim here. These people preyed on your vulnerability, on your trust." He paused, letting his words sink in. "But we're going to find them, and we're going to make them pay for what they've done."

The victim didn't answer, overwhelmed by despair and hopelessness.

Mthulisi continued "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask," he said, standing up and extending his hand. "We're here to help."

The detective walked to the front door. As he left the house and got into his car, he couldn't stop thinking about the way Mbekezeli had been taken advantage of.

Mthulisi drove back to his office. It was now evening. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an ethereal glow over the city, the flickering neon signs came to life, their electric hues painting the streets in a kaleidoscope of colours. It was a Friday, and the sidewalks were teeming with people, their laughter and music filling the air.

As he navigated the winding streets of downtown Johannesburg, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease creeping up on him. His thoughts drifted to the victim, a decent person who had been devastated by the loss. Mthulisi was determined to bring the perpetrators to justice and restore the stolen funds.

When Mthulisi arrived back at the office, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation. This was no ordinary heist; the stakes were high, and his department's reputation was on the line.
'My fellow investigators,' began Mthulisi, his voice thick with emotion, 'I've just witnessed a terrible crime that has left me deeply shaken.'

Mthulisi recounted his visit to the victim's home with a heavy heart, sharing the details of the harrowing crime that had unfolded there. The atmosphere was thick with sorrow as he described the scene, painting a vivid picture of a family shattered by betrayal and loss. "In a bid to top-up those savings," Mthulisi began, “the victim was drawn into investing online- a move into cryptocurrency trading that left him at the mercy of fraudsters and drained his life savings”

Mthulisi continued, his voice steady yet tinged with empathy, "Assuming he was making profits, the victim was drawn into a cycle of investing more in order to get the money out."

As he spoke, the silence in the room was deafening, filled with horror and disbelief at the extent of the crime. Mthulisi pressed on, “Scams come in many guises, whether it be a get-rich-quick scheme or the promise of romance. It's easy to think it'll never happen to you."

Mthulisi outlined the typical modus operandi of these scammers: "Investment scams usually work like this: The scammers lure victims with promises of quick profits and low-risk investments. Once victims deposit funds, the trading platform manipulates the data to show unrealistically high returns."

Mthulisi hesitated for a moment to carefully choose his phrasing, overcome by a wave of nausea as he outlined the tactics of fraudsters. He then continued with a sombre voice, explaining, "When victims attempt to withdraw their earnings, they encounter unexpected delays, technical glitches, and exorbitant fees. The scammers then pressure victims to invest more money, claiming that it will resolve the withdrawal issues. Eventually, the victims' funds are drained, and the scammers disappear without a trace."

“This is a heinous crime,” Mthulisi concluded, his voice filled with determination and a fierce sense of justice. “We must bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure that they face the full consequences of their actions.” The room echoed with his resolve, a collective commitment to fight against such injustices.

Christian Su, Mthulisi's manager, leaned back in his chair, stroking his chin thoughtfully. He was a seasoned detective, who had seen more scams than he cared to remember. His eyes met Mthulisi's, and he sighed heavily. "These cryptocurrency scams are like trying to catch a greased pigeon in a tornado, my friend. Difficult to say the least."

The room grew tense as the weight of Christian's words settled. Mthulisi felt a spark of frustration ignite within him. "But we can't just throw in the towel," he argued, his voice firm. "There's always a trail, no matter how faint."

"You're young and eager, Hadebe," Christian replied, his tone a mix of admiration and scepticism. "But these digital scams are complex, with layers of anonymity that even the best of us struggle to pierce. They're like shadows on the internet, slipping away as soon as you think you've got them in your sights."

Mthulisi stood his ground, refusing to be deterred. "We can trace the transactions, track the IP addresses, and work with international cybersecurity units. We have to start somewhere."

Christian leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk. "You're right. But we also need to be realistic. These criminals are clever, and the crypto world is like the Wild West. It's a minefield of fake identities and unregulated transactions." His expression grew stern. "But I admire your spirit. Just don't let it cloud your judgment."

The team nodded in agreement, recognizing the challenge ahead. The room was a tableau of stern faces and furrowed brows, a silent acknowledgment of the gravity of the task.

Mthulisi took a deep breath and opened the case file once more. The victim's tear-stained face stared back at him from the glossy photo. He couldn't let this man's hope be lost to the ether of the internet.