MAKHADO – Business owners and managers in the Makhado and Polokwane areas are warned to be on the look out for scamsters who “pay” for services and other goods by means of fake electronic payments.
This follows after the Northern Media Group (NMG) fell victim to such a scam last week after a man “paid” for two separate advertisements in two different NMG newspapers with two fake payments.
NMG realised there was something wrong with the so-called payments when it was noticed that the two reference numbers on the two payments only differed with one number.
On double checking with the bank, it was confirmed that no such payments were made to NMG’s account.
Further investigation showed that the physical address as advertised did not belong to the company advertised and neither did the landline telephone number.
The cell phone numbers as advertised, as well as the cell phone number of the man who arranged the adverts, rang unanswered or were switched off.
On Monday, NMG was able to make contact with the man on his cell phone. He apologised profusely, saying it must be a bank error. He said he would find out and come back to NMG, and ensure that the payment was made as soon as possible. He also provided another landline number. However, this landline number was also incorrect.
By the time of going to print, no further contact had been made, no payment had been received and NMG was in the process of opening a criminal case in this regard.
Provincial police spokesperson, Col Ronél Otto, said such incidents should be reported to the nearest police station.
She further warned people to make doubly sure that payments had indeed been received by their banks before releasing any goods or providing any services, when dealing with businesses or people they were not familiar with.
