Our people – desperate or gullible?
Making a quick buck on the side, without an honest day of work could be considered a profession these days.
Over the last couple of months the RECORD spoke to a couple of people falling victim to scams. Some said they were trying their luck and others took a chance out of pure desperation. Needless to say, neither Lady Luck, nor Lady Love turned their favour towards any of them.
Money for mahala:
We are bombarded with adverts from so-called prophets, Mama who-ever and psychics promising you a solution to all your problems – even your financial distress. Charl* is but one person interviewed by the RECORD who paid more than R1 350, sent numerous SMS’s to follow-up, but his road to riches never materialised.
“The man promised me R6 million. I saw the bag full of money. He even gave me R200 from the stack of money and told me that he knows I need things for my house and that I should go and buy these.
“Then I was told that in order to get my bag filled with money, I had to pay more money on top of the initial R800 ‘consultation’ fee, because the prophet needs to source a specific bag.” Charl is still a man with an empty pocket.
Online advertising:
Tread very carefully before you pay over a deposit for anything advertised online. If you are told that so many people are interested in that item, but that it can be reserved for you if you pay over a deposit of R500, sometimes more, then you should see red lights flashing.
* Peter was one of those thinking before paying, and told the seller he has a legal background and needs more information before paying over a deposit of R2 500. After his initial call, follow-up calls were never returned, Others were not so lucky.
Looking for love:
Ladies, rather be lost without love than try and find the love of your life on Facebook. The man sending you a Facebook request will start off chatting about his wife who died and how he is raising his kids alone. He will be a wealthy business man or in a top managerial position somewhere abroad. Your online affair will blossom until he has to go for an unexpected business trip and asks you to pay money into his children’s account, because he is not getting around to it – all tied up in meetings overseas.
Or you will get a notification that a parcel is coming your way – it is your birthday after all. Some will even go as far as telling you about the $5 000 included in the parcel and will email you a ‘certificate’, which will enable you to change the money for South African Rand. And which struggling single mom will not jump at this opportunity?
* Melissa however, smelled a rat when the delivery company phoned her and told her that she needs to pay a couple of thousand over to their account before delivery will take place. No cash on delivery will be done. “The lovable person turns into a verbal abuser when I refused to pay over the money.”
Be careful who you trust and how you ‘spend’ your money.
* Not their real names
