Warning over Hoax SMS

South African police have threatened to arrest anyone caught using SMS to send false messages. The warning comes following an incident where a KwaZulu-Natal woman sent a hoax SMS to her Johannesburg boyfriend claiming that she had been kidnapped.

The hoax SMS resulted in 20 police cars and two helicopters being raised to search for the missing woman, who it later turned out as safe with her father on the south coast of the country.

Supterintendent Chris Wilken said on Tuesday that over 100 police members were mobilised and the Alexandra community was also called upon to assist in the search for the woman.

The police say that the boyfriend had received three SMS's from his girlfriend saying that two men had locked her in the boot of the car and were driving the car away with her inside.

However, when the police phoned the family phone, her father answered and explained that the supposedly missing girl was with him and perfectly safe.

Wilken said that the woman faces not only criminal charges for wasting police time, but could also face the costs associated with the manhunt her SMSs had invoked."

Posted to the site on 3rd October 2003