‘Lucky winners’ could be losers

SOME of the messages are so ridiculous, they are funny. But fraud is certainly no laughing matter.

“You are advice (sic) to note that payment for income tax fee can not be deducted out of your transfer amount of Forty Two Million Eight Hundred and Sixty Thousand United States Dollars (US 42, 860 000.00),” read a phishing email sent out, claiming to represent FNB and Sars.

The memo was followed up by another phishing message, claiming to be sent by Sars, which also said the person needed to pay US$5 500 (about R50 000) in order for this “transfer to go through”.

At the card security conference held in Sandton by FNB and Visa last Thursday, FNB’s credit card division chief executive, Johan Maree, said fraud cost the card industry in South Africa about R900 million a year.

Some South African online forums urge users to share any incidents of scams that they may have fallen prey to.

For example, a 2009 e-mail sent out asked the recipient of the message to provide bank details so that £1m could be paid into the recipient’s account.

The message said this amount had been authorised by former UK prime minister, Gordon Brown, at the G8 summit in Italy in 2009.

How could the “lucky winner” get hold of the leader of a world superpower to receive his or her money, according to the SMS?

By e-mailing him on his private Gmail account.

Other bloggers said they had received e-mails claiming Brown had approved £2m (R28m) to be paid into their accounts.

The message ends with the warning: “TAKE NOTICE: That you are warned to stop further communications with any other person(s) or office(s) different from the staff of the State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to avoid hitches in receiving your payment.”