A scam is doing its rounds and a local business woman was the first victim to lose R3 800.
Mr Eric Khumalo approached Ms Nelene Buck, who manages an accommodation and catering business, on 2 July.
Mr Khumalo wanted a quote for 60 food parcels, 60 cans of fruit juice and 120 bottles of still water.
She sent a quote for R14 800 to Mr Khumalo via e-mail (erikkhumalo38@gmail.com), which he accepted and said the money will be paid into her account.
Ms Buck bought the food parcels and the drinks and an arrangement was made to pick it up on Friday 4 July.
An amount of R14 800 was deposited into Ms Buck’s account by cheque so the money was not yet available last Friday.
Mr Khumalo then said his secretary had paid in extra and asked if Ms Buck could pay R3 000 into his account for petrol last Friday morning.
He was apparently travelling from Bloemfontein to Standerton and needed petrol money.
Ms Buck said she will transfer the funds once the money in her account was available.
Her husband then phoned Mr Khumalo asking where he was, because nobody had collected the parcels last Saturday.
Mr Khumalo said they were on their way, but still needed the petrol money.
This went on all day and Mr Buck began to smell a rat.
“If there are 60 people travelling in a bus, you would hear a noise in the background when you phone, but you do not.”
Ms Buck also phoned and asked Mr Khumalo for his secretary’s number to see when the money will be available, but he refused.
According to Mr Khumalo he works for LoveLife and when she asked for his headquarters number, he also refused.
Mr Khumalo phoned Ms Buck late last Saturday when the banks were closed and said she can go to Checkers and make a deposit.
She would then receive a pin number, which she can give him and he will be able to collect the money at his nearest Checkers.
She refused again and said she was waiting for the money to be available.
Mr Khumalo sent the cheque and bank statement to her via the Bank Of Athens in Krugersdorp on Saturday 5 July.
He apparently, at the same time, was on his way from Bloemfontein to Standerton.
All connection to Mr Khumalo was lost last Saturday evening and the cheque bounced the Monday morning. A family member of the Bucks in the police opened a case in Johannesburg.
The family member said this is not a new scheme and the culprits are hard to track because the cheque is false, the cell number is not RICA registered, but the case is being investigated.
Ms Buck hoped that by publishing her ordeal other innocent people will not be caught out in future.
The Standerton Advertiser contacted Mr Khumalo asking if he works for LoveLife and he replied that J and B Construction is his employer. LoveLife was aware of such a scam and their auditors are investigating the situation.
