By Kudzaishe Chimonera
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has warned the public against a fake website claiming to represent its Smart Traffic Management System urging motorists to avoid registering, making payments or sharing personal information on the platform.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the website which has no connection to the police was not authorised to provide any ZRP services.
The warning comes as investigations are underway to establish who is behind the website and the circumstances surrounding its operation.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police dismisses purported official existence of a website, https://zrp.ess.co.zw/ which purports to represent the ZRP Smart Traffic Management System,” Nyathi said.
The police urged members of the public not to conduct transactions through the website or disclose sensitive personal and financial information.
These include national identity numbers, driver’s licence details, vehicle registration numbers, telephone numbers, banking details, PINs and one-time passwords (OTPs).
“Please do not provide any personal or financial information through the website, including national identification numbers, driver’s licence details, vehicle registration numbers, telephone numbers, banking details, PINs or One-Time Passwords (OTPs),” Nyathi said.
Motorists were also advised against making payments through the website or links associated with it, as well as downloading files or applications from the platform.
The ZRP further cautioned the public to be wary of messages, advertisements and social media posts directing users to the website.
Meanwhile, police said they had engaged the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) and other relevant government departments as investigations continue.
“Comprehensive investigations are underway to identify the person(s) or entity responsible for the website and to establish the circumstances surrounding its operation,” the police said.
The ZRP warned that anyone found responsible for activities intended to deceive or defraud the public would face appropriate legal action.
Members of the public have been urged to verify information about police services through the ZRP’s official communication channels.