HIGHVELD – “Reference (C152) has won a price in Coca Cola Empower to claim your price contact…”
This is one of many SMSs making their way to cell phone users.
The Ridge Times contacted the number that was provided.
A woman answered and asked for the reference number.
She was happy to inform the paper that we had won R250 000.
She asked how we would like the money to be transferred: by cheque or bank deposit.
She then told us to buy a R55 Vodacom airtime voucher and to send the voucher number to the phone number provided, but to not load the airtime on our own phones.
She said a consultant will get back to us the day after they have received the airtime voucher number.
Many warning bells already went off:
– The poor spelling in the SMS.
– The fact that you have won R250 000 and did not even enter a competition.
– Buying a airtime voucher for R55 and then send the voucher number to the cell phone number provided.
The public is being warned not to fall for any of these SMSs.
Lt Bettina Zondo, spokesman for the police said: “It is impossible to win a competition if you have not entered it.
“The company will go according to procedures when informing a client that they have won prizes, they will not send SMSs.”
According to Lt Zondo catching these scamsters are near impossible.
“When you are asked to deposit money, buy airtime or provide them with banking details, that should already be a warning sign. Please do not fall for them.”
