Alert: Beware of the « African Audition » Scam Run by Ivo Suzee – A Trap Involving Online Sexual Exploitation

In recent days, a serious warning has been circulating on social media and from authorities in South Africa and beyond: beware of an individual known as Ivo Suzee, who operates a fraudulent online casting and recruitment service called “African Audition” (or Audition Africaine).

This so-called modeling agency pretends to be a legitimate business offering professional opportunities in modeling, entertainment, or advertising. In reality, it uses misleading advertisements on social media and false promises of jobs or auditions to lure mainly women and young girls.

The modus operandi is particularly vicious:

• Victims are contacted online and invited to what are presented as standard “interviews” or “auditions” for recruitment purposes.
• These encounters (often filmed) turn into situations of sexual exploitation.
• The acts are recorded without genuine or informed consent, and the explicit material is then distributed, sold, or published online, exposing victims to public humiliation, blackmail, and irreversible psychological harm.

Such actions constitute serious criminal offenses. In addition to general laws on sexual assault and rape, these practices violate:

• Provisions related to cybercrime (non-consensual production and distribution of intimate content, identity fraud, online scams).
• Laws protecting against non-consensual pornography and violations of dignity (similar to the Films and Publications Act 65 of 1996 in some jurisdictions, as amended).
• Sexual offenses and other crimes against persons.

Recent cases, particularly in South Africa, have been publicly reported (including the poignant testimony of 20-year-old Lerato Molelwang in January 2026), sparking widespread outrage and official warnings from crime watch associations and monitoring pages like Crime Watch.

How to protect yourself?

• Always verify any online casting or recruitment offer: search for independent reviews, check the agency’s legal existence, request verifiable references, and refuse any isolated meetings or pressure to engage in intimate acts.
• Never sign documents under pressure and always demand a clear, transparent contract.
• Be wary of opportunities that seem too good to be true, especially when they come unsolicited via social media or messaging apps.
• If in doubt or faced with a suspicious approach, do not respond and immediately report it to the relevant authorities: cybercrime police units, platform reporting tools (such as on X, Facebook, Instagram), or organizations protecting women and minors.

Caution remains essential: scammers exploit the vulnerability and legitimate dreams of many young women aspiring to careers in modeling or show business. Protect yourself, protect your loved ones, and report without hesitation any suspicious activity linked to “African Audition” or Ivo Suzee.

Fighting these digital predators requires collective vigilance. Don’t fall into the trap.